Recipient FAQs

		1. How can I sign my children up to receive backpacks? Unfortunately, we do not work directly with individuals.  Please contact your child's school, or call your local United Way for information about receiving backpacks. 2. Why don't you help individuals? Our goal is to help thousands of children in the greater Bay Area each year and we can only do that by relying on the help of our partner agencies. By working through established social service agencies, we can feel comfortable knowing that the backpacks we distribute are reaching truly needy children.  Our agencies screen their clients year round, which in turn leaves more time for us to run our programs. 3. How can I find out if my child's school receives help from your organization? We periodically update our list of participating agencies/schools.  If your child's school is not listed, you should contact a school administrator and suggest they contact our agency coordinator at agencies@familygivingtree.org 4. How can my agency/school sign up to receive backpacks? If you are an agency/school and would like to apply to receive backpacks, please review our application requirements to begin. 5.Do you help with school uniforms? We do not help with school uniforms, please contact United Way for assistance at (408) 247-1200. 6. If my agency/school received backpacks last year, do I still need to register again this year? Yes, agencies/schools must re-apply every year by contacting agencies@familygivingtree.org 7. Once I register, when should I expect to pick up the backpacks? You should receive an email at the address you provided on your application during the last week of July. 8. Do I have to pay for these backpacks? Unlike our Holiday Program, the Back-to-School Drive does not require our recipient agencies/schools to pay a processing fee. 9. Can you guarantee the number of backpacks I will receive? We can never guarantee the number of backpacks we will be able to provide.  Please do not promise backpacks to children until you have picked up. 10. I've been put on the waiting list, what does that mean? This means we have reached our estimated limit of agencies/schools requesting backpacks.  You should expect an email detailing what we will be able to provide at the beginning of August. 11. My school is closed during the summer, can I still participate? Yes.  As long as we have a reliable contact that can submit the application in July and pick up the backpacks in August, we can work outside the normal school session.