SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. — A local motorcycle riding club is helping children and families make sure they have everything they need before the first day of school.
The Diseases and Disabilities Advocates Riding Club, known as DDARC, hosted its fifth annual backpack giveaway on Sunday at the Spokane Valley YMCA.
The event provides essential school supplies to families who might otherwise struggle to afford them. The drive drew long lines of families eager to receive the donated supplies.
“I created the program six years ago, because I felt that every child should shine bright,” said DDARC’s Debby Carlson.
The organization collected close to 500 backpacks ahead of Sunday’s event.
“This is our fifth annual backpack giveaway. We have been collecting and getting donations for the past year for this event,” said Carma Arquitt, a member of DDARC.
The backpacks came packed with school essentials including notebooks, pencil pouches and sweet treats. For families like the Gonzalez family, the assistance provides significant relief as the new school year approaches.
“It helps a lot, to be honest. I mean, if it wasn’t for things like this, a lot of families wouldn’t be able to support it or even afford anything… It’s a lot,” said Zonia Gonzalez, a parent who attended the event.
Soon-to-be kindergartner Skyler was among the children who received a backpack.
“I like how it has a whole bunch of stuff in it,” Skyler said.
DDARC members view their efforts as a way to support struggling families during a financially challenging time of year.
“Really, for me, it’s about parents lifting up parents to make their kids feel more empowered. So, it helps the parents out to relieve that stress and makes life a little bit easier, when it’s been nothing but hard,” Arquitt said.
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