Press Release

WARSAW — United Way of Whitley and Kosciusko Counties and Bowen Health Clinic are leading the 2024 Big Give, a donation drive to assemble 2,000 bags of school supplies for elementary school students by Aug. 1.

The goal is to make sure no child starts school without the tools they need to be successful.

Now in its fifth year, United Way’s Big Give harnesses the power of corporations, churches, and individuals to collect 100 bags of school supplies for every elementary school in Kosciusko and Whitley Counties. Bowen Health Clinic continues as a partner for this initiative, understanding the daily challenges families face.

“Big Give levels the playing field for all children,” said Darren Bickel, United Way of Whitley & Kosciusko Counties’ president. “The first day of school should be full of joy and excitement, not worries that you don’t have the things you need.”

United Way has backpacks ready to be filled, each with a tag that lists all the supplies to go inside. Request a backpack at United Way’s website, by calling the office at (574) 269-2592 ext. 101, or  stop by the United Way office at 119 E. Center St., Warsaw. Take as many bags as you and your team, family, or friends can fill.

“Big Give is so easy to do together,” said Jeri Purdy, chair of the United Way Board of Directors. “You can fill bags with your kids, your crew at work or with your Bible study group. At a time when many of us wonder how to make a difference, Big Give helps hundreds of families as they start the school year.”

Each elementary school distributes the bags in their own fashion. United Way trusts principals, guidance counselors, and teachers to decide how best to distribute the supplies. The one goal is making sure no child is unprepared for their first day of school. Big Give began in 2018 and has collected over 7,000 backpacks so far.