Greetings Friends of PNW, On Thursday, August 3 from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm, Purdue University Northwest (PNW) will be hostinga Back-to-School Backpack Giveaway on our Hammond and Westville campuses. Titled “RoaringBack to School,” the goal of this event is to provide families with necessary school supplies andeducational resources. PNW recognizes that many of our neighboring communities’ school districtsinclude a large percentage of students whose families meet the guidelines for free and reducedlunch. Therefore, we hope to alleviate some of the financial burden of back-to-school shopping forthese families and get students excited as we celebrate the start of a new school year.

This ambitious initiative will require strategic collaboration with community partners andstakeholders. Thus, PNW welcomes any contributions or donations your company/organization isable to make. This includes collecting school supplies and promoting educational resources forstudents and their families.

If you are able to make a donation, some ideas include: Backpacks and school supplies; new socks,underwear, books, t-shirts and menstrual products; packaged snacks for student lunches (fruitsnacks, granola bars, etc.); gift cards to grocery stores, Walmart and Target; and any monetarydonations (we will buy the supplies).

If you can set up a resource table to provide families with information, some examples include:tutoring services, before and after school care programs and club memberships; library information;Internet promotions; free/affordable haircuts; support and resources for students with specialneeds; and any other services or resources that would benefit families and students.

If you are interested in partnering with PNW to help make this event a huge success, please let usknow. Your company/organization will be recognized in signage at the event. We hope to make thisa fun and enjoyable event for our Northwest Indiana school families and students. Your support andparticipation will be greatly appreciated! To participate or donate, please contact:  

Christina M. Maldonado            

Parent, Community, and Early Education Liaison        

Purdue University Northwest      

Lawshe Hall 226 E        

(219)989-2708 | maldon55@pnw.edu                 

Raven Chant (she/her)            

Coordinator, New Student and RecruitmentPrograms Admissions & Recruitment        

Purdue University Northwest      

(219) 989-8696 | (219) 629-5687 | chantr@pnw.edu