Running Strong for American Indian Youth support many different organizations in Indian Country that serve various tribes. Anita Begay and her husband have been helping their community near Chinle, Arizona for the past two years with a day camp that serves a number of communities in Northeastern Arizona. They requested backpacks filled with school supplies to hand out to the many native youths they visit. The day camp brought 5 communities together and created a space for the youth to interact with each other as well as hear the benefits of education before the start of the school year. The backpacks filled with school supplies were greatly appreciated.

Many students were thankful for their brand new backpacks filled with everything they needed for school. Many students sent thank you notes telling of how they liked the highlighters and also how the backpacks doubled as umberellas too! Students who were from multiple children homes were happy to get their own backpacks that were brand new. One student, commented on how her mother had bought her a backpack from the flee market for less than a dollar, that was used and the new backpack was a great gift. Parents expressed gratitude too for having extra help with school supplies.

Anita is just one of a handful of camps, schools, clubs and youth groups Running Strong for American Indian Youth supports through our School Supply Program. The program allows students to not worry about being able to afford school supplies and gives them the tools they need in order to succeed in the classroom.