The National Shrine of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini undertook a backpack initiative to benefit underprivileged children in the city of Chicago who are preparing for school. Recently, volunteers who attended mass at the shrine joined with Sister Laura Baldini to assemble the backpacks to be distributed before school started. Over 120 backpacks were filled with school supplies and distributed. This was done with the partnership of the national charity Cradle to Crayon, which helps to provide essentials for daily living to underprivileged children from birth to age 12.
This backpack initiative was motivated by Mother Cabrini and her work as an educator and servant of God through helping children. The shrine presented this initiative to its Congregation. The response was nothing short of amazing. The shrine had a goal of 100 backpacks, with a $30 donation for each backpack. In two weeks, the National Shrine of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini was able to provide 120 backpacks filled with school supplies donated to Cradles to Crayons. With the help of several volunteers, we were able to buy the necessary supplies for the backpacks, as well as assemble them and drive them over to Cradles to Crayons Chicago branch.
Cradles to Crayons is a wonderful organization that has a branch here in Chicago. Their approach is to provide children with necessities they need for daily living. Their efficient and effective 3 step model helps to provide these items to children free of charge. This model includes new and gently used items that are donated through fundraising, and corporate donations, donations that are packed and distributed by volunteers in their warehouse, as well as packages from the Giving Factory, their warehouse that are distributed to local children in need.
Our shrine’s goal for 2025 is to partner directly with a Catholic school in an underprivileged area and provide backpacks to multiple grades.
Thanks to Kimi Sorensen and National Shrine of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini for sharing this article
