Pack-a-Sack is an annual back-to-school program that provides backpacks filled with school supplies to children and youth living in Ottawa Community Housing (OCH) communities. The program serves students from Kindergarten to Grade 12. In 2025, Pack-a-Sack delivered 2,111 backpacks. Since 2014, Pack-a-Sack has delivered more than 10,000 backpacks to children and youth living in OCH neighbourhoods; giving them the tools they need to learn, grow and thrive.
Most of us remember the excitement of starting a new school year. The thrill of picking out a new backpack, choosing fresh notebooks, lining up brand-new pencils and markers. Those small actions carried meaning. They signaled a fresh start and a sense of optimism about the future. For many families, however, rising costs can make those moments stressful, instead of hopeful. School supplies can easily cost more than $100 per child and the costs add up quickly, putting families under further financial stress.
This is where Pack-a-Sack comes in. Pack-a-Sack removes this stress for families living in OCH communities. By providing backpacks filled with new and good quality school supplies – including pencils, markers, and geometry sets – the program ensures that children and youth from Kindergarten to Grade 12 can start the school year fully equipped and ready to learn.
We work with the Caring and Sharing Exchange team to distribute the backpacks to various partners around the city. To receive backpacks for your children you will need to register with one of the partner agencies. You can register through the following ways:
Please note that the deadline for registrations is August 1st. Please feel free to contact our team if you need assistance.
Once you register your information is logged in a consolidated list that is filtered for duplication. Our team works off this list to pack the required number of backpacks, and delivers them to community houses and community resource centres across the city. Our partners then ensure that these backpacks are delivered directly to families. If you have more questions about Pack-a-Sack, check out our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page.
This program is possible thanks to our community partners and sponsors: Khalsa Aid Ottawa, Hydro Ottawa, Ottawa Community Housing, Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC), HEIN, EnviroCentre, Bridgehead, Moxies, RBC, Giant Tiger, Régimbal, the Coalition of Community Houses, Caring & Sharing Exchange, REMAX- Good Story, TEKsystems, Enterprise, North & Navy and Cantina Gia, Taggart Realty Management, Whole Foods, Gabriel Pizza, Youth in Policing Initative (YIPI) and Pomerleau.
At its heart, Pack-a-Sack is about inclusion and equity. Children living in OCH communities should have the same opportunity to succeed as any other student. We provide only new, good-quality backpacks and school supplies, because every child deserves to begin the school year feeling equal to their peers. From pencils and duo-tangs to geometry sets and binders, each backpack is thoughtfully packed with the essentials students need to participate fully in class. When students walk into school equipped with everything they need, they can focus on learning, building friendships, and discovering their potential. A backpack may seem simple, but for a child, it can mean success, confidence, a sense of belonging and the awareness that their community supports them.
Please note: We do not accept donations of second-hand or used items. All supplies are purchased new, in bulk, standardized, and aligned with the lists provided by local school boards to ensure consistency and quality for every student.
