My Name Is Lorelei Troeger, a downriver local who is attending GVSU to pursue a degree in early childhood education. As a future educator, I have realized that so many local students struggle to get school supplies each year.

Every child deserves to walk into their classroom on the first day of school feeling confident, prepared, and equal to their peers.

Unfortunately, for many families in our local Downriver community, the rising cost of basic school supplies is a financial burden they simply cannot afford. In the Ecorse Public School District, roughly 84% of students are classified as economically disadvantaged. When a family has to choose between groceries and a new backpack, school supplies get left behind.

That is why I am launching The Downriver Backpack Project with hopes of eventually turning it into a nonprofit helping all throughout Downriver, MI.

My goal for this program is simple, focused, and high-impact: to completely equip 120 incoming Kindergarteners in Ecorse with brand-new backpacks filled with the essential supplies they need to succeed.

How It Works (100% Lean & Direct):

Because I am running this project as a one-person initiative, I am cutting out all unnecessary overhead to make sure your money goes directly to the kids:

• Bulk Sourcing: I am going to partner with wholesale distributors to purchase backpacks pre-packed with essential supplies (notebooks, folders, pencils, crayons, and glue). This brings the cost down to just $15 per student.
• Direct School Delivery: The boxes will be shipped directly to the school administration before the first day of school. 
• Dignified Distribution: School staff and social workers will privately distribute backpacks to students who need them most, preserving family privacy and student dignity.

How You Can Help:

• $15 completely equips 1 student for their first year of school.
• $45 sponsors a row of 3 students.
• $75 sponsors 5 students taking their first steps into education.

No matter the size, 100% of your donation goes directly toward purchasing these supply kits. Let’s come together as neighbors to support the next generation of Downriver students.

Thank you so much for your generosity, your shares, and your investment in our community’s kids!