Treat Cupcake Bar Supporting Backpacks for Kids

As part of their ongoing philanthropic program titled “Treat Others Well," in Needham has selected the Backpacks For Kids Foundation of Dover as the charity they will honor for the month of June.

Sarah Bartholomae and Devon Laidman, co-directors of Backpacks for Kids (BFK), sat down with Adie Sprague, Head Baker and General Manager of Treat Cupcake Bar, to design a unique cupcake that they will sell throughout the month with 50 percent of the proceeds going directly to BFK.

“Treat Others Well is a unique program designed to show our support for youth wanting to make a difference in Needham and the Greater Boston communities and assist deserving charities in their efforts," Sprague said. "The TOW program is designed to give youth a way to speak out about their concerns and give them a means to make a difference in their community. We chose to support BFK for the month of June because Sarah and Devon are very enthusiastic about their organization and they are committed to seeing it succeed for many years to come.”

Founded in 2001 by Dover Sherborn High School students, BFK is a nonprofit organization run by high school students that provides backpacks and school supplies to children for the school year. The recipients range in age from kindergarten to college.

“We were able to donate 629 backpacks last year, each with a retail value of $100,” Bartholomae said. “Requests for backpacks have increased this year and we hope that with increased fundraising we will be able to fulfill most of them."

Bartholomae and Laidman, sophomores at DSHS, have made a year-round, multi-year commitment to BFK.

“It started out as a way to fulfill our community service hours, but then when we saw the excitement of the kids when handing out the backpacks, we knew that’s what we wanted to continue to do no matter how much time it took,” Laidman said.

The Backpacks for Kids Foundation relies on the kind donations from the community and from various retail stores in order to provide the school supplies to children. Each child receives a new backpacks filled with up to 30 different items from binders to calculators as specified by each school district. All donations are tax deductible and, with limited overhead expenses, they are able to guarantee that 100 percent of all donations go directly to the children in need.

For more information, visit the website, www.backpacksforkids.net, or call 508-785-2374.