This year’s back-to-school season in Renfrew County saw significant changes as the Renfrew County District Public School Board introduced free in-classroom school supplies for all students. This initiative, celebrated by the community, complements the efforts of the Renfrew County Community Poverty Action Network (CPAN) and its updated Tools for School program.
Thanks to the generous contributions from local businesses and organizations, including $27,489 raised by the McCluskey Group’s Smile Cookie Campaign and a $1,500 donation from Renfrew Rotary, CPAN was able to distribute $33,000 in aid, reaching 660 students from 365 families. Although the number of students served decreased slightly from last year, the demand for support increased, highlighting the growing needs in the community.
CPAN made key updates to its program this year, including switching from vouchers to flexible gift cards and introducing direct mail delivery to overcome accessibility challenges. These changes, along with the school board’s supply initiative, aim to ensure more students can fully participate in school.
CPAN has also launched “The Village,” a new network to connect those needing help with those offering it, and is encouraging donations to its year-round student sponsorship fund to meet the rising demand.
(Written by: Emma Butler)