Montgomery County's annual Back-to-School Drive is accepting donations through Friday, Aug. 21, collecting backpacks and school supplies for low-income students across the county.

The drive is open to businesses, community members, and nonprofits in Whitemarsh, Plymouth, Whitpain and surrounding townships, according to the county's Department of Health and Human Services. Backpacks are the single greatest need.

More than one in four Colonial School District students qualifies for free or reduced lunch, according to the Colonial School District Education Foundation. The drive distributes supplies to families across Montgomery County, including those in the Colonial and Wissahickon school district communities.

What to donate

The county is collecting supplies in three categories:

For students: Backpacks, combination locks, headphones, lunch bags and pencil cases.

For learning: Binders, pocket folders, crayons, colored pencils, dry-erase markers, flash drives, glue sticks, highlighters, index cards, notebooks, loose-leaf paper, pencils, pens, erasers, rulers, scientific calculators, scissors and small whiteboards.

For classrooms: Disinfectant wipes, hand sanitizer, tissues and paper towels.

A full list is available at montgomerycountypa.gov/HHSDonations.

How to donate

Donors can drop off items at the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services inside the DeKalb Center, 1430 DeKalb St., Norristown. Donation boxes are inside the main entrance off Green Street.

Those who prefer to shop online can purchase items through the county's Amazon Wish List, accessible at the county donations page. Donations can also be mailed to Veronica Hilghman, Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, P.O. Box 311, Norristown, PA 19404-0311.

Hilghman, an administrative assistant with the Montgomery County Office of Children and Youth, coordinates the drive. In an interview during last year's collection in August 2025, she told MediaNews Group she believes it matters that every child walks into school feeling prepared.

Contact

For questions about the drive, reach Hilghman at [email protected] or 610-278-5885.

The drive began Monday, July 13, and the final day to donate is Friday, Aug. 21.