what is backpack day?

A Typical Backpack Day....

Scott Dishong, founder of Project Lucas, believes that "backpack day is the greatest day of the year!"  Backpack day is the day that we get to give hope to thousands of children and families by sharing the simple gospel story and a small backpack full of supplies. 

What started with a small ceremony in 2006 of 50 children and their families has now become a day on which thousands attend.  When Project Lucas asks people to donate $20 to sponsor a backpack, they are making an investment that changes lives and changes families.  Each backpack donated guarantees that an entire family will hear the gospel and that the child who receives the backpack will be able to attend school for two years. On backpack day, the most underprivileged children and their families attend, along with teachers, school administrators,  local pastors and government officials, and we pass out all the backpacks that were sponsored that year.  A typical day looks like this:

10:00am-12:00pm   Children/Families arrive

12:00pm                  Program Begins

2:00pm                    Distribution of Backpacks

3:00pm                   Time to Eat and Celebrate

4:30pm                   Clean up 

Backpack day is a day you will never forget. You will see firsthand what hope looks like. You will see children overwhelmed when they open up a backpack full of pencils, pens, erasers and other school supplies. You will see the tears of parents and grandparents as they realize that their children will be able to attend school for the next two years.  And most importantly, you will see the faces of children and family members whose lives are changed by the gospel of Jesus. You will witness the celebration of this day. It will change your life forever...Scott guarantees it!