What is Blooming Backpacks?

By providing free backpacks filled with essential school supplies, the annual Women’s Way Blooming Backpacks initiative helps take an expense off of families’ plates, and guarantees that students can begin the school year confidently and equipped with important learning tools.

Trusted United Way partner agencies, focused on child and family programming, directly distribute the backpacks collected to students in need throughout Franklin County. In 2024, these organizations included Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western MA, the Mary Lyon Foundation, Community Action’s Family Center and Youth Programs, Montague Catholic Social Ministries, and the United Arc.

Women’s Way has provided hundreds of backpacks to community families each year since 2005.

Blooming Backpacks 2024 in the News + Event Photos:

The Greenfield Recorder, 8/13/24: ”Photos: Abundant backpacks”
WWLP, 8/8/24: “Organizations prepare new backpacks for students in Franklin County”
The Greenfield Recorder, 7/31/24: “Two decades of Blooming Backpacks: United Way affinity group holding annual drive”
WWLP, 7/23/24: ”United Way backpack and school supply drive underway”
Franklin County Now, 7/23/24: ”United Way Blooming Backpacks collecting donations”

Supper for Six: Another Women’s Way Initiative

In February 2024, thanks to the generous help of volunteers and donors in our region, 414 local families had a supper at no cost over February school vacation. Franklin County individuals and businesses filled bags with complete dinners (often along with additional food and supplies), and these important United Way agencies distributed them to students and their families through their programs: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western MA, United Arc, Community Action Center for Self-Reliance, Franklin County Community Meals Program, Mary Lyon Foundation, Montague Catholic Social Ministries, and Greenfield Salvation Army.

The Greenfield Recorder, 2/14/24: ”Supper for Six food drive enters 20th year”
The Greenfield Recorder, 2/18/24: ”Photos: Sending sustenance”

About Women’s Way

Formed in 2005 by a group of local women who wanted a hands-on way to drive change in Franklin County, Women’s Way is an integral part of United Way.

Women’s Way fights for the health, education, and financial stability of every person in Franklin County. We are a diverse, vibrant community, bound together by a powerful sense of belonging — to each other, to the organization’s mission, and to the communities we call home.

Each year Women’s Way hosts two signature events: Supper for Six, which helps cover the food gap many families deal with during the February school break, and Blooming Backpacks, a school supply drive to make sure every student is ready for the new school year.

In 2016, Women’s Way recognized adequate access to oral healthcare as a persistent issue for our community and hosted its first oral health drive. In 2017, Women’s Way partnered with the Community Health Center of Franklin County to provide free basic dental check-ups and insurance enrollments.

Interested in igniting change with Women’s Way?

Email: program@uw-fh.org

Call: 413-584-3962 x102

You can find Women’s Way on Facebook, as well!

Why Engage?

You’ll be a part of a community of like-minded women who contribute their personal passions, best ideas, and unique strengths to the mission of building stronger communities.
Volunteer within our community alongside others looking to create change.
Network and collaborate with key business and community leaders at exclusive events.
Learn more about critical issues impacting our community.
Advocate for key community issues at the local and state level.