From staff reports
United Way of the Lowcountry’s Women United has launched this year’s Operation Backpack and Mimi’s Closets fundraiser, supporting underserved students in Beaufort and Jasper counties.
While the initiative continues to raise monetary donations for essential school supplies, this year’s expanded focus includes school uniforms – a critical and often overlooked need that places additional strain on family budgets.
“With the rising cost of living, more families are finding it difficult to afford uniforms – a basic yet essential requirement for school participation,” said Donna McKeown, Chair of the Women United Steering Committee, in a news release. “By expanding our focus, we hope to ease this burden and ensure students feel confident, prepared, and ready to learn on their first day.”
This initiative supports United Way of the Lowcountry’s mission to help individuals and families move toward self-sufficiency. Many of the families served through Operation Backpack and Mimi’s Closets fall into the ALICE population – households that are Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, and Employed. These are working families who earn above the federal poverty line but still struggle to afford basic necessities such as housing, transportation, child care, and clothing.
School-related expenses, like uniforms and supplies, can create real financial hardship. By supporting these students, the community plays an essential role in relieving some of that burden and helping families stabilize.
The deadline for donations is Saturday, Aug. 9, allowing time to deliver backpacks, supplies, and uniforms to students before the school year begins.
In 2024, Operation Backpack and Mimi’s Closets supported more than 1,000 students by providing backpacks filled with supplies at the start of the school year, along with additional items as needs arose throughout the year. Women United partners closely with school social workers to identify students who may not be served by other programs, ensuring that assistance reaches those who need it most.
How to Help
- Make a secure online donation to help purchase uniforms, backpacks, and supplies at https://uwlowcountry.org/Wugift.
- Ship supplies directly through Amazon Wish List found at https://uwlowcountry.org/WUAmazon (please send to the attention of Bethany Marcinkowski).
- Join the School Supply Drive at Tanger Outlets Hilton Head’s Back to School Bash from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 2 near Columbia at Tanger 2 in Bluffton. Hosted during Tax-Free Weekend, the event will feature music, crafts, food trucks, giveaways and more. Tanger Outlets Hilton Head, a proud sponsor of United Way of the Lowcountry, will be collecting donations to support Operation Backpack and Mimi’s Closets.
