This summer, AAA Central Penn partnered with Club Assist and other Central Pennsylvania organizations through its AAA Cares community volunteer program for its second annual AAA Cares Backpack Program. The program provides over 1,000 backpacks filled with school supplies for children in need to help them start the new school year off on the right foot. Club Assist is pleased to have supported their efforts with a $1,000 donation that provided erasers for those 1,000 backpacks!
This year, the Backpack Program expanded to all seven counties that AAA serves in Central Pennsylvania. Plus, they were pleased to provide 350 more bags than in 2022! The program also expanded its outreach by providing backpacks with supplies to children in foster care.
The AAA Cares Backpack Program started in 2022 when Rob Finley, AAA’s Vice President of Automotive, volunteered in Harrisburg and recognized a need for back-to-school supplies and a strong backpack. The AAA Cares program promotes volunteerism and rewards staff for time spent serving their community. The initiative is employee-driven, team-spirited, and solidly supported by AAA Central Penn leadership.
Thanks to the support of AAA Central Penn and its partners, students will receive a three-ring binder, folders, journals, pencils, erasers, pencil sharpeners, rulers, Post-it Notes, tablets, and tissues in their brand new backpacks this year. According to USA Today, caregivers can expect to spend $661 per child in grades K-12 on back-to-school supplies, which means every bit of support for children in need can help. The AAA Cares Backpack Program shows Members and the greater Central Pennsylvania community how much AAA Cares!
Pictured L to R: Brian VanWyk, Club Assist Regional Account Manager; Rob Finley, VP of Automotive, AAA Central Penn; Jodie Daubert, President and CEO, AAA Central Penn.