Regina woman pays it forward with school supplies, backpacks

Amanda McCall is ready for back to school.

The Regina woman is set to donate more than 225 backpacks filled with school supplies to people who need the help.

“I’ve always worked with the pay-it-forward community and learned over the years of increasing prices and parents not being able to afford it,” McCall said on the Greg Morgan Morning Show.

“I’ve just watched online and just wanted to help out a little bit (and) ease the stress for parents with kids going back to school.”

McCall will start giving out the backpacks Friday at the Lawson Aquatic Centre at 6:30 p.m. She also posts online when and where people can meet her.

“I schedule a couple of meets, one in North Central and one in the northwest, and people just come out, meet me and grab a backpack for their kids …,” McCall said.

“We don’t require anything. All that we need is for the people and the children to come out and meet us, no explanations needed. If you just need a little hand, it’s just simply a gift from us to them.”

McCall put together around 100 bags last year, but she notes that “about 35 (kids) fell between the cracks.” She set a new goal of 200 this year and exceeded that, with some help from others.

She noted the Staples location in Regina’s east end donated more than $3,000 worth of supplies and backpacks, while Hello Delivery ($1,200) and Wheaton Chevrolet ($1,000) also made sizable donations.

The backpacks contain things like pencil crayons, markers, protractors, binders and a toy.

She simply wants to help out as inflation drives prices higher.

“I have a 20-year-old,” McCall said. “Back when she started school, you could get everything for a couple bucks. Now it’s seven or eight (dollars). Definitely, prices are on the rise.”

McCall also gets something from the interactions.

“It’s a very heartwarming experience to see people come out and to be able to support them,” McCall said. “There’s a lot of laughs, a lot of hugs, and my children participate in that as well.”