Hundreds Of 3M Volunteers Fill 17K Free Backpacks For Kids

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- We still have a few weeks left of summer, but preparations for the upcoming school year are in full swing.

This even rings true for one of the Twin Cities' largest corporations, which is making sure students in need get the basic school essentials.

Hundreds of volunteers from 3M are dedicating their time to get students geared up.

An assembly line of feverishly-working volunteers is part of a huge effort to fill a giant gap.

Tom Barnidge is one of 300 3M volunteers filling up backpacks in shifts over the course of five days at the Kids in Need Foundation Resource Center.

The current and retired employees are part of the 3M Gives Stuff For School program, which has been in existence for 20 years.

"It feels great," Barnidge said. "It's especially fun being with the co-workers here as a group, getting together and putting the bags together. And it's fun as co-workers to do it knowing it's going to a good cause."

From notebooks, rulers, folders, pencils and much more, everything goes into one of 17,000 bags that will go to 37 St. Paul public schools.

"It's especially nice then the first day of school to bring the products in and give them to the students and see their faces light up and be excited about using the products," Barnidge said.

The students will receive the backpacks as they head into school their first day of class on Tuesday, Sept. 5.