CINCINNATI (August 27, 2025) – Thousands of students recently went back to school wearing new backpacks filled with supplies thanks to United Way of Greater Cincinnati’s Backpacks for Success project. The combined value of backpacks and supplies surpassed $106,000. Most were distributed throughout August during community events hosted by organizing partners.
“We appreciate our partners, donors and volunteers for stepping up so that students felt confident and supported as they headed back to school,” said Moira Weir, President and CEO, United Way of Greater Cincinnati. “With rising costs, it’s as important as ever that we work together, remove barriers to learning and help children in all our neighborhoods reach their fullest potential.”
Items collected for United Way’s Backpacks for Success project were distributed in the following communities:
- Avondale
- Bond Hill
- Cheviot
- College Hill
- East Westwood
- Kennedy Heights
- Lincoln Heights
- North Fairmount
- Northside
- Over-the-Rhine
- Price Hill
- The Villages at Roll Hill
- Westwood
- Felicity and Franklin Townships in Clermont County
- Covington
The back-to-school distribution events celebrated students and families, and provided critical services and support, including health screenings, personal care items and school shoes and uniforms.
Special thanks to our organizing partners for their ongoing dedication and community support: Corinthian Baptist Church (in collaboration with Shiloh Seventh-Day Adventist, New Prospect Baptist Church, Greater New Hope Missionary Baptist Church and Zion Baptist Church), Guiding Light Mentoring, La Viña Church and Legacy Pointe Church.
We appreciate the generous partners who participated in Backpacks for Success:
- American Postal Workers United
- Ballard Design
- Bahl & Gaynor
- Berkley Connect Insurance Solution
- BlueStar
- Cincinnati AFL-CIO Labor Council
- Cincinnati Federation of Teachers, Local 1520
- Cincinnati Eastside Rotary
- Curiosity Advertising
- DHL CVG Gateway
- Duke Energy
- Fifth Third Bank
- First Financial Bank
- GE Aerospace
- JD Finish Line Foundation
- Katz Teller
- Laborers’ Local 265
- Modal Shop
- National Association of Letter Carriers, Branch 43
- NKY Central Labor Council
- Ohio AFL-CIO
- Oswald Companies
- Paycor
- Prysmian
- Rhinegeist
- The Kroger Co.
- Thompson Hine LLP
- Viking Partners
- Your Arbor Home
