For youth in foster care, Back‑to‑School season is about more than notebooks and backpacks.
It’s about confidence. It’s about belonging. It’s about starting fresh with the right support behind you.
Across the country, foster care organizations are rallying to make sure every child feels ready for the year ahead.
From college‑ready care packages to backpack drives and joyful family events, these programs are reshaping what “Back to School” means for kids in care.
Below you’ll find a one‑stop guide to some of the most impactful drives and events.
Whether you choose to donate, volunteer, or sponsor, you can be the reason a foster youth steps into the school year with confidence and hope.
Have a Back to School event we should include? Reach out to us, we’d love to share it!
Spotlight Events & Drives
Kickstart
On August 23, more than 100 former foster youth in Los Angeles, CA—those heading to two‑year schools, community colleges, or vocational programs—will shop for clothing, toiletries, backpacks, and career‑specific tools. Thanks to Children’s Action Network and Make Good, they’ll begin their next chapter equipped with essentials and a renewed sense of confidence.
Learn more or donate
Ready to Succeed – Project Dorm Room
Each year, more than 4,000 former foster youth across Southern California head to college on their own, often without basics like bedding, towels, or school supplies. Project Dorm Room outfits students with everything from sheets and pillows to lamps, toiletries, and notebooks—turning empty dorms into homes and giving them a powerful sense of community.
Outfit a dorm or donate
One Simple Wish
One Simple Wish spreads love, hope, and joy by granting wishes to kids and young adults impacted by foster care and crisis. From back‑to‑school clothes and laptops to essentials like bedding, each wish is a chance to change a life. You can browse time‑sensitive wishes, grant one directly, or donate toward their mission—over 350,000 wishes have been granted so far.
Grant a wish or donate
Foster Angels of Central Texas
Foster Angels is filling 800+ backpacks with supplies and gift cards so youth in foster care across Central Texas feel confident on their first day. Donate items, shop their Amazon list, or host a drive.
Support the drive
The Foster Alliance
Across Arizona and New Mexico, The Foster Alliance ensures foster youth start the year with backpacks, clothing, and supplies, so they can focus on learning. You can donate, shop their wish list, or even sponsor a stop on their Back‑to‑School tour.
Get involved
Ticket to Dream Foundation
Ticket to Dream partners with agencies nationwide to get foster kids the supplies they need. Whether you host a drive, build backpacks with your team, or donate funds, you’ll help kids across the U.S. feel ready for school.
Join the effort
Wayfinder Family Services
Through August 23, Wayfinder is collecting new school supplies for K–12 foster youth in Citrus Heights, CA. Can’t drop off in person? You can also donate online.
Donate or view drop‑off info
Foster Pantry
Foster Pantry’s Back‑to‑School Bash in North Carolina gives families supplies, gift cards, and a day to feel celebrated. You can host a drive, shop their wish list, or volunteer on event day.
View details
Alternative Family Services
AFS runs a virtual drive from California that lets you “adopt a tag” and fulfill real needs, from backpacks to laptops to haircare kits, no matter where you live.
Adopt a tag or donate
Let’s Lift Backpacks and Spirits Together
Every new school year is a fresh start—a chance to say to every foster youth: You matter. You’re seen. You’re not alone.
When you give a backpack, fund dorm essentials, grant a wish, or volunteer your time, you’re not just providing supplies. You’re providing confidence, hope, and a sense of belonging that lasts far beyond the first day of school.
Let’s make sure every child in foster care steps into this school year ready to shine.
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