Angela’s Backpack Drive – Inspiring Success

Angela McLean, a budding journalist and seventh-grade student in Toronto, has helped raise 188 backpacks for Blessings in a Backpack through several methods. She raised 100 at an event at her local mall, 54 from a drive she set up at her school, 5 by donating them herself, and 29 from a young Canadian actor named Austin MacDonald.

Angela, who wrote her first article for her local paper at age 8, is a talented and driven young lady. She became familiar with Blessings in a Backpack after seeing Hilary Duff and Stan Curtis speak at press conference opening Canada’s first Blessing in a Backpack program in 2009. Angela was so impressed by Hilary and her passion to help less fortunate children, she made it her mission to help. After the press conference, Angela attended a charity dinner where she heard Hilary speak of the need for more backpacks. Inspired, Angela quickly went to work organizing a backpack drive at her school.

Angela, with her mom at her side, approached her school’s principal and vice-principal who agreed to a September 2009 Backpack Raiser. She busily spread the word about the backpack drive by making posters and announcements, as well as providing details in the school newsletter. She was even able to leverage her media contacts to encourage donations.

We thank Angela for her hard work and dedication in supporting the Blessings in a Backpack program and encourage others to create their own way to raise backpacks!