HonorHealth Desert Mission’s Virtual Back to School Drive | Month of July

2026 Virtual Back-to-School Drive

Become a Virtual Backpack Hero. Help us fund supplies for 1,000 backpacks and classroom supplies!

 Donate Today

This year, our Back-to-School Drive is going virtual! Instead of donation bins, we are inviting you to become a Virtual Backpack Hero by helping fund school supplies for local students.

Your gift helps turn donations into backpacks filled with the tools kids need to start the school year strong.

Financial contributions make the greatest impact by allowing us to support students where needs are highest and keep essential supplies flowing to students and classrooms. While physical school supply donations are still welcome, monetary gifts are our greatest need this year.

Why it matters

A backpack, notebook, or set of pencils can make a big difference for a student. With the right tools, children are more prepared, more engaged, and more confident in the classroom.

Educators report that students with access to free school supplies see:

• 91% increase in preparedness
• 83% increase in participation
• 78% increase in self-esteem
  (Kids in Need Foundation)

Make an impact

Your support removes barriers and helps local students focus on what matters most: learning, growing, and succeeding!

Donate virtually:

Shop online and support our program with a virtual gift.

 Support Our Program

HonorHealth Desert Mission is a Qualifying Charitable Organization. Donations to HonorHealth Desert Mission qualify for a dollar-for-dollar* Arizona state tax credit for eligible Arizona taxpayers.

Spread the word!

• Share our Virtual Back-to-School Drive with friends, family, and colleagues
• Download and share flyers from our Quick Links section below
• Tag us @honorhealthaz

Prefer to donate supplies?

While virtual giving is strongly encouraged, physical school supply donations are still accepted and greatly appreciated, helping us to support local classrooms.

Drop off deadline: Friday, July 31 at 11:00 AM.

Drop-off details:

Desert Mission Food Bank
9229 N 4th St., Phoenix, AZ
See our hours of operation

Please use the loading area to the left of the entrance and ring the doorbell for assistance. Please note that donation pick-ups are not available at this time.

Community backpack items of greatest need:

• Backpacks
• Glue sticks & regular glue
• Zippered binders
• Colored pencils
• Crayons (24-pack, classic color)
• Washable markers
• Pencil pouches

Along with serving our overall community, we have a few extra wish list items from our very own Desert Mission Lincoln Learning Center:

• LEGO® kits for our school-age kiddos
• Craft Kits for School-Age Children (paint-by-number, diamond art, etc.)
• Playdough
• Washable Tempera paint
• Recyclable craft materials (paper towel rolls, newspapers, magazines, etc. — please no toilet paper rolls or egg cartons)
• PAPER, PAPER, PAPER! (copy paper, construction paper, colored, paper… anything!)

Every donation, big or small, helps create meaningful learning experiences and plenty of smiles. Thank you for helping our children learn, explore, and imagine!

Quick Links:

Support Our Program

 Donate Today

Download Our Flyers

 Back to School Flyer | 8.5 x 11

Back to School Flyer | 11×17

Summertime Resources to Share

Free Summer Meals for Kids

Kids’ Physical and Mental Health

Mindfulness for Kids: A Simple Guide to Getting Started

Nutrition Assistance Programs for Eligible Participants

AZ Health Zone Summer Food Resources