ARLINGTON, Va. (WDVM) — Operation Backpack is helping students head back to school with a new backpack stuffed with school supplies.

Pencils, binders and other back-to-school items were packaged to be delivered to Arlington Public Schools students in need before the first day of school on Aug. 30th.

“We are packing all of those into the backpacks to distribute to the families that are in our care. Here in the DMV region, we have 11,000 families that will benefit from this,” said Brian Gavin, Sr. VP of Communications & Marketing, Volunteers of America.

Non-profit Volunteers of America is hosting the donation event at multiple locations in the Greater D.C. area. The organization says new school supplies are essential and couldn’t be more special this year.

“We know that the last year with COVID has been very challenging for some of the students. We hear from them that they’re so excited to be in person,” said Gavin.

Volunteers of America partnered with Arlington Public Schools to deliver the supplies to students in need in the county. Kimberley Graves, Chief of School Support, says the backpacks will help families impacted by the pandemic.

“This takes one less burden off of those families to know that their kids will be ready for school and ready with all of the things that they need to be successful,” said Graves. “This is going to be transformational for so many of them, so there will be no obstacles or barriers to impact what they can do and how far they’re going to go.”

Operation Backpack has already raised $31,000 dollars of their $40,000 dollar goal to support students of low-income families.