2025:  Backpacks for Liberia

Lear about our partnership with the UMC in Liberia 

     This year’s Hand-On Mission project for the Three Rivers District is “Backpacks for Liberia.” 
The school kits will equip some of the 16,000 students who attend United Methodist Schools in Liberia and Guinea to learn and grow. These school supplies help keep the sometimes prohibitive cost of school supplies from keeping young persons from pursuing their education. Last year our collection donated 150 backpacks. Prices and Shipping costs have increased but we still want to make an impact so this year our goal is 144 backpacks. 
     To help reach our goal the outreach team is once again ordering supplies in bulk. This means we can purchase all the supplies including the backpack and shipping for $22. If you were to buy the supples individually you could expect to pay at least $40. We would love for each person or family to sponsor one backpack with a $22 gift, or perhaps half a backpack for $10. (Or maybe multiple backpacks- you decide.)
     If you would prefer to purchase the backpack and supplies yourself you are more than welcome to do so (the Packing List can be found below), but you can also make a donation marked "BACKPACKS" and that money will be used for our bulk purchase. If we can raise $3,000, we could meet our goal of 150 backpacks.
   You can donate online here, just look for the "OTHER" section where can specify Backpacks by typing it in the blank field.
    Please turn in donations (or completed Backpacks) by Sunday, April 27.

Liberia?

The Republic of Liberia began as a colony of America, set up for the repatriation of people of color to return to Africa in hopes of finding greater freedom than they could have in the United States. Liberia declared its independence from the US in 1847. 

Packing your own Backpack

Please place the following items into a new Backpack:

• 1 12” ruler
• ​2 boxes chalk (not sidewalk chalk)
• 1 compass for math
• 1 protractor
• 1 10-12 pk. pens (blue or black)
• 1 10-12 pk. pencils
• 1 pk. erasers
• 2 pencil sharpeners
• 3 spiral notebooks (70 ct.)​

​Please remove all price tags, and place all items in the backpack. Do not add extra items, make substitutions, or provide larger quantities than requested.
Please include $5 to cover the shipping costs (a check can be written to First Church with the memo "Backpacks").

Backpacks need to be at First Church by
Sunday, April 27.