CELEBRATING 20 YEARS!
Connect with Women’s Way:
program@uw-fh.org to reach UWFH staff
413-824-8154 to reach our Women’s Way chair
Blooming Backpacks 2025
Our drive was a big success thanks to you!
We are so grateful to all who gave to Blooming Backpacks in support of our local students, their families, and the United Way partner agencies that help them. Women's Way collected more than 370 backpacks and 420 books. Here's to a wonderful school year!
Many thanks to the community partners who distributed the gathered supplies directly to students: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western Mass, the Mary Lyon Foundation, Community Action Family Center and Youth Programs, the Heartwing Center, and The United Arc.
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 2025, these organizations will include Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western MA, the Mary Lyon Foundation, Community Action’s Family Center and Youth Programs, the Heartwing Center, and the United Arc.
Women’s Way has provided hundreds of backpacks to local families each year since 2005. Thanks to the region’s generosity, our 2024 Blooming Backpacks drive supplied 196 filled backpacks, 450 books, and over $1,000 toward additional school supplies for our local students.
Blooming Backpacks 2025 in the News
The Greenfield Recorder, 8/8/25: “In 21st year, Blooming Backpacks drive gathers 337 backpacks, greatly exceeding 2024 collection”
The Greenfield Recorder, 7/25/25: “Blooming Backpacks drive ends Aug. 5”
WWLP, 7/8/25: “Greenfield Cooperative Bank holds school supply drive for students in need” - Thanks to GCB for supporting Blooming Backpacks!
Last Year: 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 2025
THANK YOU to all who gave so generously to the Women's Way Supper for Six 2025 food drive. From all that was collected, we expect more than 320 local students and their families to enjoy a filling dinner (plus a few more!) over February school vacation next week.
This was possible with the help of our community partners: individuals, organizations, businesses, and volunteers who helped gather food and donations, spread the word, and distributed these basic need items out to our neighbors.
United is the Way! Wishing everyone a happy, safe school break week.
Special thanks to our event sponsor: Greenfield Savings Bank!
What is Supper for Six?
Individuals and businesses are encouraged to fill reusable bags, each with the ingredients to make a complete dinner, to help support families in our region over February school vacation week. This is a time when the school food services many families rely on are closed, and food pantries are strained.
Trusted United Way partner agencies distribute these donated bags to students and their families through their programming, including:
Supper for Six 2025 in the News + Event Photos
The Greenfield Recorder, 2/4/25: ”21st annual Supper for Six food drive nears in Greenfield”
Franklin County Now, 2/5/25: “Women’s Way fighting school vacation food insecurity”
The Greenfield Recorder, 2/17/25: “268 bags of food, $3K collected during 21st annual Supper for Six food drive”
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: 413-824-8154
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.