Saskatoon families in need get free back-to-school supplies

It’s time for many families to get into back-to-school shopping and preparation, but the cost of school supplies is increasing and making it hard for some to afford the items needed.

That’s where Saskatoon Tribal Council’s White Buffalo Youth Lodge in Saskatoon comes in.

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On Friday, close to 2,000 families stood in line starting at 6:30 a.m. to receive free items like notebooks, pencils, markers, erasers and more in 4,000 backpacks handed out.

“We’ve had kids that have told us their stories; when the teacher tells them to take out their pens or paper and they don’t have any, they put their head down. That’s not a good way to start the school year, we want everybody to feel equal,” said STC Tribal Chief Mark Arcand.

The lodge first started handing out backpacks in 2014, and handed out around 500 backpacks then.

Now that number has grown to 4,000.

“It shows the need in our city,” said Arcand. “We have young families that are donating here, helping in the line, giving back to people, so that’s really going to change our system.”

Arcand said he enjoys talking to the families that are the recipients.

“They’re so grateful, because some of them have multiple kids,” he said. “There’s clothing for school, there’s running shoes, there’s all of these things that go into getting your kid ready for school.”

Arcand said the system needs to change because families shouldn’t have to struggle to make sure their kids have what they need for school.

“We look at elderly people that are on their pensions and they’re raising their grandchildren,” he said. “It’s hard for them to afford back to school stuff.”

As well as school supplies, in what’s become a community event there were other donations available for families.

“We even have used running shoes,” said Arcand. “Some people can’t afford a nice pair of running shoes for their kid.”

Even things that most people wouldn’t think about were available, like free haircuts.

“A lot of these people can’t afford that kind of stuff.”

Each backpack is filled with the same supplies that Arcand said would cost a family over $100.

“The cost of supplies went up, so it might be around $130 per backpack,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if that person’s in Grade 12, you give everybody the same so they may get a box of crayons… that’s okay take them home your younger brother could use them at home.”

As for people who wanted to donate, Arcand had one rule, they had to be involved in the day.

“If you’re going to give us money, you’re going to stand at that table and you’re going to see the impact that you’re making in these people’s lives,” he said.

“Look at the people that are funding this — they’re smiling, they’re shaking hands, that means more to me than actually putting on this event.”

— with files from CKOM News

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