A survey shows that there are more than 9,000 children who meet the definition of homelessness in Ventura County. A new project is trying to help some of those kids get ready for the new school year.
In a conference room at the Ventura County Office of Education in Camarillo, mountains of backpacks and school supplies are piled up. Volunteers are helping to fill the backpacks with the supplies.
"We have been packing backpacks for children who have been identified as homeless by their school district, so they can start the new school year with a backpack, school supplies, and be ready to learn," said Susan Englund, with the United Way of Ventura County,
"We try to put together at least 3,000 backpacks that school districts are picking up to distribute to the kids at their campuses," added Kathy Nye with the Ventura County Office of Education.
The backpacks and school supplies are intended for homeless third- to fifth-grade students in Ventura County.
