For Branford students who need help to heading back to school with supplies, Community Dining Room (CDR) has backpacks stuffed and ready to go.

Once again, CDR has gathered up new backpacks, notebooks, pencil boxes, calculators, binders and more during it's summer School Supply Collection Drive. Now, just in time for back-to-school, the bulk of of the packed backpacks will be given away, during CDR's final Free Summer Meals 2017 on the Branford Green, Tuesday, August 22.

"Last year, we were able to provide 65 backpacks, and we expect those numbers to rise this year," said Courtney Rosenberg, CDR Volunteer Coordinator and Backpack Drive coordinator. "We're also going to have some on reserve, so if a school calls us on the first day – or even in the first weeks – with a student who needs a backpack, we will get them one."

Branford residents who need a backpack for their students (grades K – 12) are asked to bring proof of residency to CDR and register with Rosenberg ahead of the Aug. 22 giveaway event (registrations accepted right up to give-away day). The backpacks will be distributed on Tues. Aug. 22 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. during CDR's free family dinner and activity event on the town green.

The night's meal arrives through a returning partnership with Branford Public Schools' (BPS) Free Summer Meals breakfast and lunch program. The school program, which completes in it's fourth year on August 18, is funded by a  grant won by BPS and overseen by the CT State Dept. of Education together with End Hunger CT.

The backpack supplies arrive thanks to a town-wide drive organized by Rosenberg, who also set up collection points at CDR, Town Hall and the Blackstone Library. Between late July and mid-August, Rosenberg said Town Hall employees took it to the next level by participating in "Dress Down Fridays" to benefit the backpack program.

"Town Hall's participation was really great. They could either donate $5 or bring in $5 worth of donations to dress down on Fridays," she said. "We collected bags of supplies, and used the donated money to buy more supplies and backpacks."

Late last week, CDR's School Supply Collection Drive got a big boost from Madison's Temple Beth Tikvah, which donated 60 backpacks complete with supplies, noted Rosenberg.

CDR's reach spans from East Haven to Old Saybrook and serves daily hot meals to anyone in need along the shoreline.

The Community Dining Room is located at 30 Harrison Ave. in Branford. For more information on the backpack program, contact Courtney Rosenberg at (203) 488-0447 or email crosenberg@communitydiningroom.org