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HOPE House moving forward with its annual backpack program (4 photos)

New intakes and new households increased by 185% when compared to April and May last year

Lakeside HOPE House is still going forward with the Guelph Community Backpack Project despite the uncertainty surrounding schools opening in September.

HOPE House Executive Director Jaya James is urging families that need resources to come forward as soon as they can. 

The organization is continuing to work together with the Guelph Neighbourhood Support Coalition this year to deliver the bags in Guelph and is implementing a few changes to adapt to the current situation. 

The program opened access to applications early, created an online form to allow users to fill in a request safely at their convenience, added additional items such as measuring tools, writing tools and a variety of paper in addition to their regular items that vary for each grade such as binders, lunch boxes, crayons, pens, pencils and glue sticks. 

“We know there are many families that are experiencing need but we also know it takes time to be able to find resources,” said James urging families to sign up as soon as they can. 

Last year the organization distributed 1,100 backpacks. And because the bags depend on donations and donated resources, the cost of one bag roughly adds up to $30. 

“Every time there is a need, there’s somebody stepping forward,” said James of the Guelph community’s immense support and willingness to help.

This year she said, it's difficult to predict the demand for bags. So far, 134 families have signed up for bags for their children. 

“To be completely honest, we aren’t sure if we’re going to see an increase in demand or decrease in demand or the same,” said James adding that the team is making sure it’s prepared the same number of bags as last year and opening access early will help them determine need.”

The organization also reached out to the Upper Grand District School Board to give them an idea of items to include in bags to support schooling from home or partial schooling from home if required. 

“This year, knowing all the things that were going on, we wanted to give people more opportunities to be able to indicate their interest. We recognize that it will be challenging for people to learn how to do stuff because all the processes they’re had in place and finding information in the past, some of those places aren’t open as much,” said James. 

She said the organization has seen a spike in the number of new visitors accessing their services once their pandemic hit. Compared to new intakes and new households from April and May of 2019, the number is up 185 per cent when compared to April and May of 2020.

James said the organization saw people who lost their jobs and also those who went back into the workforce after they reached retirement in order to support multiple households in their families. 

“Those are the things we’re seeing happen. I do believe that government support through the Canadian Emergency Relief Benefit (CERB) has really helped us to prevent it from being a tsunami of demand coming to all the support systems in Guelph,” said James. 

“We were able to manage that and were able to adjust and adapt and work really hard,” said James by continuing their various programs such as their COVID-19 delivery program where they deliver groceries directly to homes. 

“We havent had anyone we had to turn away and we’re looking to expand on how we can support more people.”


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Anam Khan

About the Author: Anam Khan

Anam Khan is a journalist who covers numerous beats in Guelph and Wellington County that include politics, crime, features, environment and social justice
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