Over 3,000 children across four school districts receive Smith With Brackens (SWB) Foundation backpacks during the 2020 school year.
Donations and volunteers are always needed to keep this project moving forward, this year is no exception.
“To meet our goal for this year we are needing donations before the middle of march to be able to purchase everything in a timely manner,” says co-founder Jason Smith. “However, as this project is every year we are always fundraising!”
SWB was founded in 2012 by Tony and Candace Brackens, Jason and Dacie Smith, and a few of their close friends.
Jason and Tony are both retired NFL players and host a free basketball camp during the summer in Fairfield, Texas.
The ALL STAAR Backpack Project began the same year as the Foundation.
The SWB backpacks are filled with bottled water, snacks, meal coupons, and school supplies.
These “brain food” backpacks are so children may do their absolute best during the STAAR test.
Many children have shown their appreciation, including Kyle Chancelor, “Thank you Mr. Smith and Mr. Brackens for the snack bag and coupons for Pizza Hut and Subway. The snack bag helped us focus on our STAAR test. We appreciate the gifts. P.S. The snacks were delicious.”
Over the course of the past eighteen years the foundation has discovered the best process is to provide the teachers with the items.
“Testing can last for several days, and not everyone test at the same time,” says Smith. “This way the snacks last longer and they don’t eat them all at once.”
Anyone interested in volunteering should visit https://swbyouth.com/contact-us and fill out the form.
Donations need to be received by the middle of March to allow for the purchase of items in time for testing.
Donations can be made via paypal, gofundme, or by mail.
For those avid Amazon shoppers, use your Amazon Smiles and select the “Smith with Brackens Youth Foundation” for them to receive .5% of your entire purchase.
Donation Address: SWB YOUTH FOUNDATION, 193 Private Road 407, Fairfield, Texas 75840
For more information you can visit their website www.swbyouth.com or email info@swbyouth.com
