Community group packs and donates backpacks to local students

MILWAUKEE — It won’t be long until all students are back in the classroom for the new school year. And one local organization is hoping to make the school year a little easier for Milwaukee Public School families.

One by one, backpacks for 2nd grade students at Bruce Elementary School were packed by volunteers with Legacy Of Ali and Fatima, Saturday morning. A group dedicated to serving the community. It’s mostly known as “L.O.A.F”

“It’s important for the students who are going to be coming into the school year to have the confidence with a filled backpack to embark on the academic year” said L.O.A.F Board Member, Suhail Jaffari.

He says about one-hundred fifty backpacks were packed. All made possible by donations. The backpacks were filled with glue sticks, notebooks, pencils, folders and much more.

“Everybody wants to give back. And that’s pretty much what it’s all about, right? What can we do to give back to the community, help families in need. And that’s pretty much the message of L.O.A.F” Jaffari explained.

Volunteers ranged from little kids to adults. Khadijah Dhoondia, a volunteer, says they all have the same goal in mind.

“It shows how much we all value education in our communities and how much that, regardless of the age, that is a value that we all have. And coming together for a common cause, it is in general very very exciting” 19-year-old, Khadijah Dhoondia exclaimed.

The group has been donating to Bruce Elementary School for about three years now.

“I can’t even express how much this means to us, in regards to the support that the community is coming together to help our families. Families in need um giving our students a great start to the school year” Principal of Bruce Elementary School, Lisa Turner said.

According to Turner, these supplies usually last throughout the year. She says she is so grateful for L.O.A.F donating each year.

“Supplies do become low in the middle of the school year, so yes this is going to carry us throughout the rest of the school year” Turner explained.

With the 2023 backpack donation completed, Khadijah is already looking towards the future.

“I would love for us to be able to have an even bigger impact not only in terms of getting more backpacks to this school specifically. But expanding to other school districts as well”

The group is always accepting donations and always appreciates volunteers.

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