As children and teens across Minnesota prepared for a new school year, Operation Backpack® helped ensure they could begin with confidence. Thanks to generous donors, community partners, and volunteers, 557 students received backpacks filled with school supplies through VOA Minnesota & Wisconsin’s 2026 Operation Backpack® initiative.
For families already balancing the rising costs of everyday needs, back-to-school expenses add another financial strain. Operation Backpack® helps ease that pressure while giving students the supplies they need to feel prepared and ready to learn.
At Prairie Pointe (an affordable housing community in Shakopee), that support held special meaning for families preparing for a new school year.
“Many families and children are attending a new school for the first time. Others are returning but with a renewed sense of hope of having safe housing when they return home,” shared a Prairie Pointe Family Navigator. “Ensuring the kids have a suitable backpack and the necessary supplies to contribute to their academic success is one small way to encourage them in their new adventure.”
At Vista 44 (an affordable housing community in Hopkins), the spirit of Operation Backpack® extended beyond receiving supplies. Residents volunteered alongside staff to help make a back-to-school event a success.
