Town Rallies to Ensure Backpacks for All Kids

Quick Smiles:

• Over 500 Cape Girardeau students received fully stocked backpacks for school.
• Cheerleaders and community members joined together to support the giveaway.
• The initiative ensures every child starts the school year equipped and confident.

Back-to-school season began with joy and teamwork in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, as the entire community pitched in to provide backpacks filled with supplies for local students.

Cheerleaders at Cape Central Junior High led efforts to prepare backpacks brimming with essentials, ensuring students would be ready for class from day one.

“The cheer team loves to help out with the community because our community does so much for us with like sponsoring our seasons and everything, so this is just a small act of kindness that we can do to give back to our community,” said Shelby Matukewicz.

Her teammate, Holli Whitaker, added, “I love to see how kids are not embarrassed to ask for backpacks anymore and how it’s so much nicer for just everybody to have what they need.”

Carolyn Thomas, school district social worker, reflected the school’s mission:

“It means a lot to us because that’s what Cape Public School is all about. We’re all about helping our students and our families to succeed and to be able to be here in attendance, and whatever that takes. That’s what a public school tries to do to meet those needs.”

With more than 500 families signing up, the program set a record this year, showing just how valued it has become.

The district shared:

“Every student will start on day one with the supplies they need to be successful thanks to the support of our incredible community partners! Our community always meets the needs of our students!”

Thanks to Cape Girardeau’s dedication, the school year is starting with full hearts, ready minds, and not a single empty backpack in sight!

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