The Pettengill House has begun its collection and signup’s for Operation Backpack 2026, an annual backpack and school supply drive with a mission to ensure that students throughout our community start the school year “ready to learn.” Operation Backpack provides NEW backpacks and school supplies to students in pre–k through twelfth grade who attend school in the Amesbury, Newburyport, Pentucket, and Triton school districts. If you are able to donate, please refer to the list at the bottom of the article to view most needed items and drop off locations throughout: Amesbury, Salisbury, Newburyport and Newbury. Please drop off donations by Friday, August 14th. Distribution of backpacks and supplies to families in need will begin the following week. If you need assistance with backpacks and school supplies for your children, please sign up to request an Operation Backpack appointment.
Local businesses and organizations throughout the community set goals to make Operation Backpack 2026 the most successful collection year ever! Help spread the word to family, friends and neighbors so that we can collectively have a positive impact for local students. Consider partnering with co-workers, family or friends to spread awareness and collect items.
Employees from Newburyport Bank locations throughout the community join forces each summer as part of a collective initiative to “Stuff the Van” in support of Operation Backpack. Bank branches work together to maximize employee donations and expand collection drive efforts serving as a dropoff location.
Operation Backpack is a great opportunity for our youth to understand the importance of community giving and to realize that necessities like school supplies and backpacks are unaffordable items for some families. Don’t grab just any backpack, consider involving kids in the purchase and donation process and encourage them to make thoughtful decisions that will result in smiles and back to school excitement for other students.
If you prefer to shop online instead, you can visit the Operation Backpack Amazon Wishlist to shop for most needed items and have them shipped directly to The Pettengill House. You can also help this community wide effort by sharing the Pettengill House Operation Back Pack Facebook Post with your friends and family.
Monetary donations and gift cards are always accepted and appreciated as well. Donations can be made online or make checks payable to The Pettengill House, Inc., note “Operation Backpack” in the memo line, and mail to 21 Water Street, Suite. 4A Amesbury, MA 01913. All donations are tax-deductible, and directly benefit children in our community.
Clients in need of assistance through the annual backpack and school supply drive can sign up through the Pettengill House food pantry in the beginning of August. If you are not a client and are in need of assistance, please contact the Pettengill House food pantry (978) 463-8801. Backpacks and supplies will be distributed during the third and fourth weeks in August by appointment only.
The Pettengill House is a nonprofit social service organization. This annual backpack and school supply drive supports Pettengill’s School Link Service Program. For more information, please visit www.pettentllhouse.org
Most Needed Supplies (NEW Items Only, Please):
Index cards, sticky notes, durable backpacks, binders (1″-3″), binder dividers, lined filler paper, spiral notebooks, composition notebooks, pocket folders, calculators, pencil sharpeners, pencil cases/pouches, mini staplers, washable markers, permanent markers, dry erase markers, colored pencils, pens (black and blue), glue sticks, highlighters.
Drop-off Locations:
Pettengill House (21 Water St, 4th Floor, Amesbury; Mon-Thurs 9am-3pm)
Amesbury:
- Amesbury Public Library (149 Main Street)
- Institution for Savings (150 Main St.)
- Newburyport Bank (40 Friend St.)
- Lamacchia Realty (20 Market St.)
- St. Andre Bessette Parish (11 Sparhawk Street)
Salisbury:
- Institution for Savings (7 Bridge Road)
- Newburyport Bank (6 Merrill Street)
- Pettengill House Pantry (13 Lafayette Road – drop-off hours Fridays 9-noon)
- Salisbury Public Library (17 Elm Street)
- Star of the Sea Chapel (141 North End Blvd)
- Star of the Sea Church (18 Beach Road)
- Suchecki Chiropractic (141 Bridge Road)
Newburyport:
- Arthur S. Page Insurance Agency (57 State Street)
- Hope Community Church (11 Hale Street)
- Institution for Savings (93 State St. and 68 Storey Ave)
- Newburyport City Hall (60 Pleasant Street)
- Newburyport Bank (21 Storey Ave and 63 State Street)
Newbury
- Newburyport Bank (27 High Street)
Newburyport.com is proud to have The Pettengill House as a fundraising partner for the VIP Program. If you appreciate dining and shopping in our local community, you can support The Pettengill House by purchasing or renewing your Newburyport App and VIP Card. The VIP Program allows you to enjoy discounts at 130 restaurants and shops in the Greater Newburyport community and $10 of each purchase or renewal can be donated to The Pettengill House.
If you don’t already have the Newburyport App, just type the word “Newburyport” in the App Store or Play Store or use the links below from your mobile device.
Apple/App Store: Download “Newburyport” for iOS/Apple
Android/Play Store: Download “Newburyport” for Android/Google
Operation Back Pack Video from 2021:
