During the next five year, the school supplies program continued to expand, reaching more and more children from low-income families. As the program evolved, supplies were distributed in the form of Back 2 School kits, each containing the core supplies that students need to succeed in the classroom. To facilitate the distribution of these kits, partnerships were developed with a numerous community organizations and government agencies. In 2015, a Build-A-Kit initiative, which allows companies to purchase school supplies in bulk and assemble them into kits, as part of a team building exercise, helped to accelerate the growth of the Back 2 School program. That same year, the organization changed its name to Back 2 School Illinois to better reflect the work being done.
In 2018, a couple of existing sponsors inquired about funding Back 2 School kits outside of Illinois. To address the interest in providing school supplies to across the country, Back 2 School America was launched. In 2022, Back 2 School Illinois was officially absorbed into B2SA.
While the Back 2 School program remains the main thrust of B2SA’s efforts, the organization also offers other programs that fit within the guidelines of our mission. Back 2 School America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose mission is to create and support educational opportunities that enrich the lives of children across the USA.
