With more than 25 percent of Greater Houston area children living at or below the poverty level, the YMCA of Greater Houston is working to ensure all students are equipped for the new school year by collecting supplies through Aug. 12. For the past decade, Operation Backpack has collected school supplies for middle and elementary school students in the Greater Houston area. This year, 36 Houston area school districts, including Conroe ISD, will benefit from the efforts of 33 participating YMCAs. “Last year, we were able to give 94,684 children backpacks so we were just shy of that 100,000 goal,” said Heather Saucier, director of media relations for the YMCA of Greater Houston. “But it looks like we’re on track this year to reaching it so that’s great. At this point, we’re estimating that the Greater Houston Area YMCA’s community contribution for this year is valued at about $5 million.” Thanks to partnerships with KTRK, KSBJ and H-E-B, Operation Backpack has more than 220 drop off locations where donations are accepted in the Greater Houston area. With all three of the local YMCA’s participating, The Woodlands has more than 30 drop off locations, including Skeeter’s Mesquite Grill, Mercedes-Benz of The Woodlands, Walking Tots, Crossroads Baptist Church and several Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurts and H-E-Bs. “Some parents have told me that when times are tight, they have to just go down the school supplies list and choose the essentials, the bare minimum, and they send their kids to school with just the bare minimum until they’re able to complete the list,” Saucier said. “A lot of parents have to balance how many uniforms they buy for their kids with how much school supplies they purchase, which is a really tough choice to make that nobody should have to make.” Residents can also make monetary donations of any amount at participating H-E-Bs, or online if they prefer not to purchase school supplies. In 2015, Montgomery County YMCAs distributed 1,200 backpacks to local children in need. The Operation Backpack Distribution Day in The Woodlands is from 10 a.m.-noon on Aug. 20 at Faith Bible Church, 5505 Research Forest Drive. Families and children who attend will enjoy a light lunch, giveaways, face painting, balloon art and a photo booth. Several community partners will also provide complimentary haircuts as well as blood pressure and glucose screenings. In 2015, 94,684 children in The Greater Houston Area received backpacks and school supplies through the YMCA's Operation Backpack.[/caption] “The need is so great here,” Saucier said. “We have many kids who are living either at or below the poverty level and in order for them to succeed in life, and perhaps do better than their parents, they need to be successful in school and part of that is making sure that they’re prepared. We want all of our kids in Houston to be prepared when they go back to school and that starts with a backpack full of school supplies.” For a complete list of school supplies and drop off locations, visit www.ymcahouston.org/operation-backpack.