By Jay Sorgi • Posted August 28, 2026

Three Catholic Charities of Philadelphia Family Service Centers distributed hundreds of backpacks, school supplies, and other resources last week to students preparing for the 2026-27 school year during a series of back-to-school events held across the city.

The distributions took place Aug. 19 and Aug. 21 at the Family Service Centers in the Northeast, North, and Southwest sections of Philadelphia. Families also received books, food, personal care items, and information about community assistance programs.

In Southwest Philadelphia, families received backpacks filled with school supplies as well as books, personal hygiene kits, COVID-19 tests, fresh fruits and vegetables, and refreshments. Organizers distributed about 200 backpacks, double the number originally planned.

Among those in attendance was Tutugirl James, whose 5-year-old son not only got to receive a backpack, but the chance to choose the color he wanted.

“It’s a help that they are donating to us,” said James, who lives five blocks away. “It’s not easy, especially when you have a lot of kids, so I’m so happy to receive.”

Her son, a fan of math, got to pick a blue backpack.

Casa del Carmen in North Philadelphia’s Hunting Park neighborhood, and the Family Service Center in Northeast Philadelphia’s Holmesburg neighborhood, joined in distributing backpacks. Some students in the Northeast also participated in a school supply scavenger hunt.

“The parents appreciate it,” said Lola DeCarlo-Coles, the administrator at the Southwest Philadelphia Family Service Center.

“The money is just not there. Groceries are so expensive. So it’s been fun for them to be able to come and have their child pick out their own bookbag.”

About 10 Drexel University nursing students volunteered at the event, helping distribute backpacks, school supplies, and food.

“It’s always a great opportunity for us to learn more about giving, helping the community,” said Justin Boateng, a Drexel nursing student.

“People look forward to coming here, and it’s not just ‘grab something and go,’ but they sometimes want to talk to us,” he said. “They build relationships with the staff around here for Catholic Charities, and it seems like it’s a true relationship with the community.”

Ginger Girard, a clinical instructor at Drexel University, said students in the university’s Population Health program volunteer regularly at community sites in Philadelphia including Catholic Charities’ St. Edmond Senior Community Center in South Philadelphia.

She said the experience helps students better understand the social and economic challenges many residents face and how those challenges can affect health outcomes.

“The students really get a joy out of serving,” Girad said. “They give from the heart, and they see people in need, and it makes them feel good at the end of the day that they’re able to provide services for these people,” she said.

Girard said she is also impressed by the range of programs offered by Catholic Charities of Philadelphia.

“People don’t understand on a whole how much the Catholic Church gives to the public,” she said. “Of all the programs I’ve been involved with, I see that the archdiocese gives more to the community than any other services I’ve ever been involved with.”

Boateng said the backpack program serves people of a variety of backgrounds.

“It brings people together. This is what it’s all about,” he said. “We want to reach out to everyone. We want to make sure that everyone is heard and every voice is heard.”

The event also coincided with the center’s monthly food distribution for seniors. Eligible recipients received 30 pound boxes of proteins, cereals, rice, canned foods and a three-pound block of cheese. Community members also donated infant formula to be used during a separate monthly distribution.

Representatives from the City of Philadelphia’s BenePhilly program attended the event to offer information and ways to apply for benefits ranging from health insurance and prescription drugs to assistance with utility assistance, and college-related costs.

The backpack giveaways were also held at multiple Catholic Charities sites across the city. At the Family Service Center in Northeast Philadelphia, about 25 children received backpacks and school supplies, and Oblate Father Jack Kolodziej blessed the bags and prayed with students as they prepared for the school year.

In North Philadelphia, Casa del Carmen distributed more than 100 backpacks and school-supply kits. In Kensington, The Cenacle at Padre Pio, a collaboration among Catholic Charities, the Pro-Life Union of Greater Philadelphia, and the Capuchin Friars, provided 75 backpacks filled with school supplies as well as hygiene products.

The Family Service Centers serve as Catholic Charities’ primary points of contact for individuals and families seeking assistance. Five centers operate across the five-county region, offering services including food and diaper pantries, prenatal and parenting support, financial assistance, referrals to public benefits, and other family support resources.

DeCarlo-Coles said the center’s longstanding presence in the neighborhood has helped build trust among local residents.

“We’re trusted. That’s a big thing,” she said. “We’ve been here a little over 20 years, and we’ve been told that it’s a place where people trust us.”