For a student, a new backpack can signal the beginning of something exciting: a new classroom, new teachers, new friendships, and new opportunities to learn. 

But for families already stretching their budgets to cover the rising costs of everyday essentials, preparing for a new school year can bring another financial strain. That is why Northern Virginia Family Service’s (NVFS) Back2School and Beyond campaign is about more than collecting school supplies. It is about neighbors coming together to make sure local students have the tools they need and the confidence that comes with being ready.  

The 2026 Back2School Drive, presented by AWS, is helping provide new backpacks and essential school supplies to more than 1,400 students in kindergarten through 12th grade across Northern Virginia.  

It Starts with a Shared Purpose 

Every backpack begins with people choosing to show up for their community. A neighbor donating supplies, a team organizing a drive, a volunteer giving a few hours of their time. Each contribution is different, but together they create something much bigger: an opportunity for a child to walk into the classroom ready to learn. 

For participating organizations, the Back2School & Beyond drive also offers a meaningful way for employees and community members to see the impact of their collective efforts. Donated notebooks, pencils, and backpacks become tangible evidence that their generosity is reaching local families in Northern Virginia. As Michelle Scheuerman, vice president at Dev Technology Group, Inc., explains, giving back can go beyond financial support: 

“We believe in giving back to our local community not just through financial resources, but also by encouraging our employees to get out like they are today to stuff backpacks with school supplies which will head to local students.” 

From a Supply Drive to a Filled Backpack 

Once donated supplies arrive in the office, another part of the community effort begins.  

Volunteers sort and organize thousands of supplies, carefully choosing what goes into each backpack before packing them with the essentials students need for the year ahead. For volunteers, seeing that transformation firsthand makes the experience especially rewarding. 

“I love seeing the volunteers come together on backpack-packing days. It’s fun to see how much thought and kindness each volunteer puts into choosing the backpack and supplies for each child. They really want to make it special for them,” said Lacy Hurst, events and drives specialist at NVFS. 

That care is visible throughout the process, from spending a few hours sorting pencils, organizing notebooks, or making sure one more student has a backpack ready for the first day of school. Each step brings the community’s generosity closer to the student who will carry it into school.  

A Stronger Start for Students 

For families, receiving support with school essentials can mean one less expense at a time when the costs of everyday essentials continue to add up. That is the heart of Back2School and Beyond. It is not simply about getting supplies from one place to another. It is about reducing barriers for families and helping students begin the school year with confidence. 

Neighbors in Action 

Back2School and Beyond shows what happens when a community comes together. Whether donating supplies, packing backpacks or spreading the word, every contribution helps local students start the school year strong. 

For Shankara McNair, senior program manager at Precisely, participating in the drive is one way to give back while encouraging others to do the same: 

“Community support like this [Back2School Drive] matters because, as a community, we all have to help each other. For me, this is my way of reaching back and helping others, and hopefully inspiring someone else to want to do the same.” 

And that spirit of community does not end when the last backpack is packed. The campaign reflects a broader commitment to ensuring families across Northern Virginia have access to the resources and support they need to build strength, stability, and opportunity. 

For the more than 1,400 students who will head into the school year with new backpacks and supplies, they are carrying more than notebooks and pencils. They are carrying the generosity of a community that showed up for them. 

That is what happens when neighbors come together. 

That is Neighbors in Action. 

Learn more about the Back2School and Beyond campaign and how you can help students start the school year strong. 

Looking for other ways to make a difference? Explore how you can volunteer, give, or partner with NVFS.