Gorham BackPack Program

08/22/2026

A huge thank you to Westbrook, Maine Youth Advocate Programs, Inc. for your generous donation of four boxes filled with school supplies for middle school and high schoolers! This was a much-needed boost to our donation drive, which will continue through next week. Thank you so much YAP! 

08/16/2026

We received our first donation for our back to school snack and school supplies drive. Thank you Bob Cook- and he said there’s some more coming! 

08/14/2026

As our students head back to school, we want every single one of them to feel ready and supported. The good news is that school supplies for our elementary students have been donated. But right now, we have nothing for our middle and high school students in need, and the food closet at Gorham High School is completely empty.

If you're able to help, we'd be so grateful for donations of school supplies for our middle and high schoolers, and food closet items to help restock GHS.

School Supplies Needed:
Folders • 1" & 1.5" Binders • Tab Dividers • Elmer's Glue & Glue Sticks • Colorful Markers • 1 Subject Notebooks • Index Cards • Colorful Construction Paper • Black Sharpies • Adult Scissors • Disinfecting Wipes • Kleenex • Water Bottles

GHS Student Fridge & Pantry Needs:
Cheez-Its • Pirate B***y • Granola Bars • Capri Sun • Fruit Snacks • Individual Goldfish • Mac and Cheese Cups • Trail Mix Packets • Smart Food Bags • Cereal Boxes • Pudding Cups • Ramen • Juice Boxes • Spaghettios • Microwave Popcorn • Bowls & Utensils • Individual Pretzels • Deodorant • Chapstick

Items can be dropped off at Gorham Middle School, 106 Weeks Road, Gorham, ME, c/o Heather Whitaker & The Backpack Program.

Thank you for helping us make sure every Gorham student starts this year feeling ready and please share! 💙

www.GrowGiveGorham.org

08/03/2026

There are so many reasons why your donations matter, and today is another one. A social worker from our school district reached out because a family is in need of an emergency supply of food for their child. We pack extra summer boxes just for this reason, and because of your donations during the school year, we’re able to provide this extra bit of help when it’s needed.

Stay tuned, we’ll be sharing our August call for donations soon. It will focus on a few basic school supplies, plus our big collection for the Gorham High School food closet, part of the BackPack Program.

06/06/2026

What a week! Thanks to the incredible generosity and teamwork of our Gorham community, we were able to fully supply summer boxes for 60 students. When this community comes together, amazing things happen!

To everyone who shows up all year long, from taking inventory, shopping, packing, delivering, organizing, spreading the word, and pouring your heart into this work in ways big and small: you are the reason this program exists and thrives. We are so grateful for each and every one of you.

06/01/2026

We are so grateful for the generosity of our community! Thank you to everyone who has already donated or dropped off items for our Summer Boxes.

If you have a donation at home, please drop it off at Gorham Middle School as soon as possible. We are currently taking inventory and identifying any remaining needs before we begin packing this week.

If you are still interested in donating, please reach out to Heather Whitaker ([email protected]) directly to find out what is still needed.

Thank you for helping us make sure our kids have what they need this summer!

Each year, students who receive the BackPack Program are sent home at the end of the school year with a box of non-perishable food items. This support helps families bridge the gap as school meal programs come to an end for the summer.

You can support by:
🥫 Donating individually
⚽ Organizing a collection through a sports team or club
🏢 Collecting items at your business or office
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Sharing with family and friends

We have created a Sign Up Genius with suggested items that can be purchased and donated.
📱 Scan the QR code to sign up!
🔗 The link to the Sign Up Genius will also be posted in the comments.

Every donation makes a difference for local students and families. Please consider helping and SHARE this post widely so we can reach as many people as possible before June 1st. ❤️

05/11/2026

Each year, students who receive the BackPack Program are sent home at the end of the school year with a box of non-perishable food items. This support helps families bridge the gap as school meal programs come to an end for the summer.

You can support by:
🥫 Donating individually
⚽ Organizing a collection through a sports team or club
🏢 Collecting items at your business or office
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Sharing with family and friends

We have created a Sign Up Genius with suggested items that can be purchased and donated.
📱 Scan the QR code to sign up!
🔗 The link to the Sign Up Genius will also be posted in the comments.

Every donation makes a difference for local students and families. Please consider helping and SHARE this post widely so we can reach as many people as possible before June 1st. ❤️

04/15/2026

We could really use your help this month.

Our BackPack Program donations, both food items and monetary, have been significantly down, and recently we’ve had to leave some items out of our packs. Our next packing is coming up on Tuesday, April 28, and we’re hoping to restock and fully support our students.

🛒 Most Needed Items:
🥛 Individual milk cartons
🥣 Individual cereal cups (Honey Nut Cheerios or Frosted Mini Wheats)

If you’re able to donate, items can be dropped off or shipped directly to Gorham Middle School (details in the flyer).

We’re also now accepting online donations—and 100% of those donations go directly to our program. Even $10 helps provide a weekend bag for a student.

Every single donation makes a difference. Thank you for helping us take care of our students and families.