American Licorice, Kids in Need Foundation to Donate Backpacks to New Haven Students

and elementary students will be in for a big surprise when they return to school tomorrow morning.

For the second year in the row, is partnering with national nonprofit Kids in Need Foundation to give back to the local community, supplying backpacks and school supplies for 1,300 students. (Read about last year's donation .)

American Licorice, which makes the popular Red Vines candy at its Union City plant, and Kids in Need also donated backpacks to Achieve Academy elementary school in Oakland last week.

“This grant from American Licorice ensures that many East Bay students will have the essential school supplies they need to help them succeed in the coming year,” said Dave Smith, Executive Director of the Kids In Need Foundation, in a statement. “These new backpacks filled with supplies will give them confidence on their first day of school.”

According to the New Haven Unified School District, Costco will also donate 200 backpacks filled with school supplies for students. Costco’s gesture is not affiliated with American Licorice and Kids in Need’s donation.

The district also reports that thousands of items were collected during the third annual “,” held earlier this month at Walmart in Union Landing.

Notebooks, paper, pens, pencils, crayons and other supplies will be delivered to schools once they are sorted, the district said.

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