Law Enforcement, Fire Personnel Supporting Local 'I. Am. Legacy' Backpack and Supplies Drive Saturday
LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIRE PERSONNEL SUPPORTING
‘I AM LEGACY’ BACKPACK AND SUPPLIES DRIVE SATURDAY
Public encouraged to donate school supplies, backpacks
leading up to August 21 ‘Gift-away’ event
RAPID CITY, SD—Members of the Rapid City Fire and Police Departments and Pennington County Sheriff’s Office are collaborating with I. Am. Legacy’s efforts to provide local children with backpacks and school supplies.
Personnel from all three departments will be at the two Rapid City Wal-Mart stores and at Target this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., accepting public donations of backpacks and school supplies as part of I. Am. Legacy’s ‘Back To School Backpack Gift-away’ program. I. Am. Legacy is the Institute of Indigenous American Legacy, a non-profit organization in Rapid City offering training, resources and support to indigenous relatives seeking support, and stability through unity, equity and healing.
This is the ninth year for I. Am. Legacy’s backpack program, according to founder Erik Bringswhite. In 2013, Bringswhite was able to provide 20 backpacks filled with school supplies for local youth in need. Last year, more than 500 backpacks filled with school supplies donated by area residents were provided to local children.
“I do this every year so the kids can focus on school and they have the tools necessary to learn,” said Bringswhite. “It’s tough for a kid to sit at their desk and not have the notebooks, pens and other supplies to work with and to learn. This is about our community, investing in the youth of our community, and in their future and our community’s future.”
Mayor Steve Allender encourages parents who may be shopping for school supplies this Saturday to buy a second set of supplies or a backpack and donate to the school supply drive.
Supplies collected this weekend will be compiled into backpacks and then made available during the ‘Back To School Backpack Gift-away’ event next Saturday, August 21 near JC Penneys at the Rushmore Mall from 1-4 p.m.
Bringswhite is seeking corporate donations and anyone wishing to support the school supply and backpack drive can contact Bringswhite at 415-1436 or visit the I. Am. Legacy office at 2200 N. Maple Avenue, Suite 118.