Kansas City Mayor ProTem and 5th District Representative Ryana Parks-Shaw began Operation Backpack in 2020. It was the height of COVID and her first year on the City Council.
The program that began with just 1500 backpacks to give away, and little more, has grown into one of the city’s most appreciated events.
Well before the giveaways 11 a.m. start time on Sat., Aug. 6, the line-of cars waiting to participate in the program had already wound to the end of Swope Park and blocks into the neighboring community.
Offered exclusively for KCMO residents, Parks-Shaw said she continues to hear from participants about how grateful they are for the program.
“We know inflation is costing more and more, and families have less money to spend on their kid’s school supplies,” she said. “So they’re grateful to be able to cut some of their costs.”
This year in addition to the original book bag with school supplies handed out during the program’s first year, children received certificates for free barber cuts, and free age appropriate books. For the second year, the give away included shoes. This time, they were white Adidas sneakers.
There were goodies and resources for parents as well, including access to considerable community resources and information provided by City departments and community organizations.
The giveaway also included booster seats. Parks-Shaw says she added booster seats to the program after seeing kids in cars they served in previous years, not properly seated. The Councilwoman thanked Children’s Mercy who helped pay for volunteers to be trained and certified to properly install the seats.
One of the best giveaways may have been the one-per household free hotspot with connection costs covered for five years.
“We know we have areas in our community– especially in my district – where people don’t have access to the internet,” Parks-Shaw says.
Operation Backpack partnered with numerous community organizations to expand its offerings. These partners and services include:
Giving Hope and Help – Providing feminine hygiene items and information
HCA, Research Medical Center – Backpacks and school supplies
Lead to Read & Turn the Page KC – Distributing books
Dr. Justin Garner Dentistry, LLC – Providing dental hygiene products
Bridge Leadership Academy – Gift bags
Reconnecting the East side – packs with school supplies
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. – Voter registration and school supplies
988 Suicide Prevention – Literature and SWAG bags
KC Royals – assortment of items
KC Youth Commission – Voter registration
Justice and Dignity Center – Hair style/cut vouchers
Hibbert Sports – Gift cards, tablets, hot spots and hand sanitizers
Children’s Mercy –Booster seats (ages 4-9)
Kansas City Health Dept./Aim 4 Peace)
Swope Heath – Health information
Goodwill MObil Lab – Job employment information ,
Mayor Pro Tem Parks-Shaw, shoes, youth 4-7, hair style/cut gift vouchers, back packs and school supplies.
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity
St. James United Methodist Church
