Backpack Coalition

In 2024, 8,000 backpacks filled with school supplies were distributed to local students!

Mail a Check

United Way Pledge Processing, PO Box 88988, Milwaukee, WI 53288-8988
Payable to: United Way Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County
Please add "Backpack Coalition Restricted Fund" to your check memo line.

Additional Ways to Support

Host a Supply Drive

Encourage your customers, clients, and/or employees to collect supplies at your office or business. We make it easy for you with a downloadable toolkit and collection bins.

All supply drives should end before July 23 so that the donations can funnel into our packing program the following week.

High Priority Items: Crayons, 24 ct.; Folders, paper or plastic; Markers, 10-12 count, thin or broad tip; Composition notebooks, college or wide ruled; Spiral notebooks, college or wide ruled

Get Started

Sponsor a School

Sponsor a school (or grade level) through Backpack Coalition. Every student in the school will receive a backpack with grade-specific items sponsored and packed by you and your company!

Financial sponsorship is a requirement in order to assemble backpacks. Packing shifts will be held at our United Way Volunteer Center (200 W. Pleasant St.) from July 28 to August 1.

The deadline for Sponsor a School is June 25.

Learn more

Purchase Supplies

View our Amazon Wishlist to purchase items and directly ship them to United Way.

Shop Our Wishlist

Need a Backpack?

Backpack Coalition provides school supplies for students in:

Milwaukee Public School students attending one of our Milwaukee Community Partnership Schools, please contact your guidance counselor.
Waukesha County students attending Hadfield, Hawthorne, and Heyer Elementary schools and Waukesha South freshman, please contact your guidance counselor. Families who utilize the following agencies may sign up for supplies by June 13, 2025: Waukesha County Health & Human Services, Food Panty of Waukesha County, Mukwonago Food Pantry, Muskego Food Pantry, Oconomowoc Food Pantry, Pewaukee Food Pantry, and Waukesha Salvation Army.
Germantown School District, please contact Stephanie Kaebisch, School Social Worker at 262.502.7121 or at skaebisch@gsdwi.org.
Ozaukee County, please contact Melissa Parchim at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ozaukee County at melissap@bbbsoz.org to sign up by June 14, 2024.

For all other requests, please contact the free IMPACT 211 service (1.866.211.3380).

Thank You to our 2025 Supporters

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Backpack Coalition Committee

Our committee collaborates to ensure backpacks and supplies are beneficial to the students and distributed equitably.

Food Pantry of Waukesha County, Germantown School District, Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast, Milwaukee Area Labor Council AFL-CIO, Monroe Group Ltd, Mukwonago Area School District, Mukwonago Food Pantry, Muskego Food Pantry, Oconomowoc Food Pantry, Pewaukee Food Pantry, School District of Waukesha, The Waukesha Salvation Army, United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County, Waukesha County Health and Human Services