New Location for Family Giving Tree Backpack Drive

The Family Giving Tree plans to distribute more than 20,000 stuffed backpacks to kids who need school supplies this fall. Among the recipients include students at six Milpitas schools who qualify for free or reduced lunches.

The  had been utilizing a donated warehouse space in Santa Clara for its annual back-to-school drive, but needed to find another location this season.

iSTAR Financial came through with an unused 66,570-square foot building located at 560 Cottonwood Drive in a Milpitas close to McCarthy Ranch. 

“We are extremely grateful to iStar for coming to our aid and donating their vacant building for our use during the Back to School Drive,” says Family Giving Tree Chief Operations Officer David Bratton-Kearns. 

“Our goal is to provide at least 20,000 backpacks filled with paper, pencils, rulers, etc. to underprivileged children at nearly a hundred Bay Area schools so they will be ready to learn with the beginning of the new school year."  

“iStar is happy to help out Family Giving Tree by providing warehouse space for the Back to School Drive,” said Regional Director Sheba Challenger. “We have been a friend of this wonderful organization for several years, having participated in the Holiday Wish Drive as a host company and donating warehouse space once previously.”

“It has been a great experience for our employees and amazing for us to see all that the organization does for so many Bay Area children. It makes us feel good to know we have a part in it.”

A majority of the volunteers come from companies who sign up for shifts during for the backpack drive. Individual volunteers can sign up for shifts online starting July 1.

Volunteers assemble the backpacks from July 18 to September 9. Afterwards, they are picked up by school personnel and human services agencies.

Last year, the program benefited 18,000 students at 117 schools and agencies in the Bay Area.