NeXT is partnering with NBC4, PrimaryOne Health and CME Federal Credit Union on the Stuff the Backpack fundraiser, with the goal of providing a backpack filled with school supplies to each of the nearly 102,000 students in the Columbus City School & Licking county school districts.

Pens, pencils, scissors, and paper are just some of the simple school supplies many local families may not be able to afford. Many times, teachers need to purchase supplies with their own money just to ensure their students have the necessities.

“School supplies are incredibly important. When they come unprepared to not fault of their own it has a big impact on them and it can sort of make and break sometimes how they feel about school and how they feel about being here and doing work and having support,” says Holly Eichman, a kindergarten teacher at Winterset Elementary School. 

With your help, we can stuff backpacks and give every student from day one all of the supplies they need.

Our need – and my ask – is for our organization to raise/donate $5000 for us to be one of the presenting sponsors, and to donate our time and any school supplies on Aug 10th from 8am – noon at NBC4. Along with helping our community this is great exposure for The NeXT Basketball Foundation and our mission in developing a servants heart in young athletes ancestral Ohio.