You can see them loud and clear — brightly colored backpacks floating through the crowd at a Community Event in Asheville, North Carolina, on the backs of young Guests of Honor. Or for some, their parents carry the brand new backpacks while the kids carry smiles on their faces.
These aren’t just supplies for school — they’re a sense of normalcy in the wake of a disaster.
Through partnership with Kids In Need Foundation (KINF), a nonprofit that provides essential supplies and support to under-resourced students and teachers across the country, Convoy of Hope is getting 18,000 backpacks to kids who need them.
This is happening in places like Asheville, where Convoy has been serving since Hurricane Helene devastated the area in September 2024.
The field where the event was located experienced heavy flooding from Helene. A year later, it became a place of healing for families. The sun shone as families received groceries, shoes, resources, and connections from local community members — their neighbors — who passed out colorful new backpacks.
Small things like backpacks can be a gift for families still recovering from disasters.
One father shared what the event and supplies meant to him: “Cuando dejé de creer, ustedes aparecieron,” which means, “When I stopped believing, you showed up.”
Convoy’s mission of hope aligns closely with KINF, who also resourced our Hurricane Idalia response in 2023. As Convoy was looking for ways to give to schools after the storm, KINF provided 157 teacher supply kits and air purifiers, which Convoy distributed to teachers.
Through partners like KINF, Convoy is helping bring hope to families well beyond the immediate aftermath of a disaster. We’re deeply grateful for this partnership and opportunity to bring encouragement to families across the United States.
To learn more about Kids In Need Foundation, visit https://www.kinf.org.
