Mack's Packs

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Mack's Packs

Budget: 
$1,000 - $10,000
Website:
http://sayers6.blogspot.com/
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Project Summary
Elevator Pitch

Concise Summary: Help us pitch this solution! Provide an explanation within 3-4 short sentences.

Mack's Packs is a program that gives deserving students (Ontario First Nations) school supplies at the beginning of the school year (September 2012) with a hope that it will continue throughout the years with the assistance of donations. This idea came to me as I am an educator and understand the importance of having students come prepared to class. Unfortunately, many students do not have the means to equip themselves with the basic necessities to do this. This program will work similar to a scholarship program where students will be invited to submit an essay on the importance of education alongside taking pride in our culture/history and who we are as a people.
This idea will make a difference because it will allow deserving students to be prepared for a new school year, giving them the confidence to walk into their respective classes feeling like they are ready.

This idea came from the realization that students understand the importance of education and being prepared for school when I was a head dancer at a community's traditional powwow and as my special I had a children's special and the winning youth received a back pack full of much needed school supplies. The participation was outstanding and I had many dancers participating in hopes of receiving one of the five back packs I provided.

I also understand the importance of being prepared as a student because I am continuously taking courses and understand the importance of being prepared. I feel more confident in my ability to tackle the tasks at hand because I have the necessary tools to complete the tasks.

And finally, as an educator, I understand that budgets are sometimes small in nature and having to spend them on basic tools such as pencils, erasers, rulers, etc. takes away from the more important tools that are costly but benefit students who need manipulatives to better understand what is being taught.

If this program receives assistance from this competition, monies will be used to purchase supplies and pay for shipping. With such a program it is doable with any amount of donations/funding but with a larger amount of donations more students can be affected positively by such a program.

About You
About You
First Name

Mackenzie

Last Name

Sayers

Confirm a user name that will be displayed publicly to identify your entry

macsayers

About You, Your Group, or Your Organization
Name

Mack's Packs

Country

, ON

Please confirm that this project could benefit First Nations, Métis and Inuit Peoples

Yes

Twitter URL

https://twitter.com/macsayers

Facebook URL

https://www.facebook.com/mackspacks

Youtube URL
What categories best describe who your group or organization serves (check all that apply)

First Nations people.

What best describes your group or organization

Non-profit organization.

How long have you, your group, or your organization been operating?

Less than a year

Innovation
Define your idea / project in 1-2 short sentences

Students will enter an essay contest to receive necessary school supplies to give them the necessary tools to be successful in a new school year.

Select the stage that best applies to your solution

Start-Up (a project that is just getting started)

Social Impact
Please tell us about the social impact of your idea or proect

This program will have a positive social impact on First nations youth because it gives them the power to share their ideas on the importance of education giving them a voice for our needs as a people (with a focus on the youth's voice) while possibly preparing many for a new school year. Having such a program will benefit students who not only believe in the importance of education but also who may not have the financial means to prepare themselves for a new school year.

Your Future Goal(s): Tell us what you hope to achieve with your idea or project in the next year

This year my goal is to set up a blog site to outline the program and allow entries to come in, in time for the 2012/13 year.

In 5 years, what will be different as a result of your idea/project?

In five years, I hope that this program will provide scholarships to highschool students continuing onto post-secondary education with the assistance of donations each year (allowing it to grow). I also hope more back packs will be made possible through donations. This will allow more students to be prepared for a new school year and their voices to be heard allowing community leaders to see what tomorrow's people are facing, believing in, and trying to better themselves.

Sustainability
Tell us about the people/ partnerships that are already involved and why they are important to your idea or project.

The only person involved thus far is myself, but now that my blog is officially up and running I hope donations start to poor in. This program is going to be featured in SAY magazine (February) which will also assist with donations to the program, hopefully. As more monies become available, more students can receive back packs.

If there are other people/partners that you will reach out to tell us who they are and why they will be important to your idea or project.

This project will only be sustainable through donations as the outcome is not a product that can be utilized to produce an income but rather a service to our First Nations youth. I will also continue with a minimum of three winners in each category as this is coming out of my own pockets but I believe in this so much that I will continue to do this for many years. As a single mom this is all I can contribute at the time.

I hope to reach out to foundations who focus on projects that affect youth as well as businesses in the areas where the programs will be initiated. I recently applied for my local school to the Dreamcatcher's Fund and received a donation of $1000 for a similar program for the school that I teach in.

Describe the kinds of support you receive (other than money) or will need to support your idea or project (e.g.: donated, space, equipment and volunteers)

Currently the only support would be financial as this project can run out of my own home and because I am off during the summers I will utilize my own personal time to prepare the back packs and send them out via a shipping company. If the project expands, volunteers can assist in preparing the back packs and this can include community members that are affected by the project or local high school students who need volunteer hours to attain their high school diploma.

Do you currently have funding for your idea or project?

No (skip next two questions)