Submitted by the Office of External Affairs and written by Melina Perez

The Howard University Office of External Affairs carries out a range of community initiatives throughout the year, connecting Howard University with neighborhoods and organizations across Washington, D.C. One of its most significant efforts this year was its annual Backpack Giveaway, which provided 180 D.C. children with school supplies for the new school year.

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Led by the Office of External Affairs' Community Association, the giveaway supports elementary school children and families experiencing housing insecurity, ensuring students have the supplies they need to begin the school year.

Since the program's founding in 2022, the Community Association has selected an elementary school serving a large number of low-income, working-class and immigrant families. It also partners with organizations that provide transitional housing, extending the program to children experiencing housing insecurity.

Last month, 180 backpacks filled with school supplies were distributed to children in Ward 1 at The Terrell, a short-term family housing program, Hope and a Home, and Harriet Tubman Elementary School. The Rhode Island Avenue Ecumenical Society, a coalition of churches from the LeDroit Park and Bloomingdale neighborhoods, hosted their annual back-to-school event where many of the backpacks were also distributed.

"We don't want any child showing up to school without a backpack or the supplies they need."

A Growing Tradition

The Backpack Giveaway began in 2022, when the Community Association distributed its first backpacks to children in Ward 5 and the Brentwood Village community. The effort expanded in 2025, when Howard University's Department of Public Safety and Howard University Auxiliary Services helped distribute 180 backpacks at the Rhode Island Avenue Ecumenical Society's "Fun in the Park" celebration. 

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Teresa Edmondson, manager of the Community Association at the Office of External Affairs, said the giveaway reflects Howard University's commitment to equity and service.

"It's about inclusivity. We want children who are under resourced to have the same fresh start," she said. "In these trying times, it's the least we can do. We have ‘service’ in our university motto, and this demonstrates our commitment to that."

Bison Showing Up

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Howard students help make the Backpack Giveaway possible each year, including members of the basketball team and interns with the Office of External Affairs, many of whom are pursuing studies in community development and early childhood education. The effort gives students an opportunity to put Howard’s commitment to “Truth and Service” into practice in the neighborhoods surrounding campus, Edmondson said.

Jewel Taylor, a senior legal communications major and Office of External Affairs intern, said the experience made a deep impression on her.

"It was invigorating to see how excited the school administrators were to see Howard show up in their community. Their gratitude said it all," she said. "Being able to help people in that way was very rewarding."

Amalia Evans, a junior psychology major from Dallas, said the students’ smiles were an invaluable reward.

"I am excited to help continue this work and expand the impact of the Backpack Giveaway."