Back to School Undergoes Changes Due to COVID-19

The COVID-19 crisis has affected so many aspects of our lives and how we come together as a community to support one another. In response to these limits on our interactions, Back to School FDL’s team has evaluated our program’s operations and temporarily shifted how we handle supply drives, registration, and distribution.

For the safety of our volunteers and the individuals at the participating businesses, churches, and organizations who, in the past, have collected supplies for Back to School, we are suspending supply drives for this year. These supply drives have always been a critical component to our efforts. Without these supply drives, we will rely on your monetary support now more than ever!! Please be aware that all funds go directly to purchasing supplies. If a donation is something you can consider, please either utilize the PayPal account on our website or you may also mail a check made payable to Back to School FDL to: Back to School FDL, P.O. Box 1747, Fond du Lac, WI 54936-1747.

Registration for the program will also undergo a significant change as families will no longer be required to sign up in person. Given all the concern about social distancing and reducing the possibility of exposure to the COVID-19 virus, it seemed appropriate to have registration be conducted online. Starting on July 10, the application will be made available on our website www.backtoschoolfdl.org by simply clicking on Registration. When registering, parents/guardians will need to provide the names, birth dates, school name(s), and grade for each child in the family. To further streamline the registration process, eligible families will not need to provide proof of residence and proof of household income. In order to review applications and prepare for Distribution Day on August 22, online registration will close on August 2.

For obvious reasons, the shopping experience, which is often considered the most enjoyable aspect of the Back to School program, will need to be drastically different from the past. Given the limited space at the Boys and Girls Club, the Back to School team is formulating a plan for curbside pickup of the backpacks. Details of the plan will be shared on our website and Facebook once we are assured that it is, most importantly, safe for our volunteers and families, but also accommodates the needs of the individuals that it serves.

We recognize that there are more families in need than in the past, therefore, we are hoping that community members and businesses will respond generously so that we are able to fulfill our mission of helping as many children as possible be prepared for the first day of school. The Back to School FDL team hopes that you and your loved ones are staying safe and healthy during these trying times.