YMCA Operation Backpack provides essential school supplies for youth across the Houston area, filling them with hope and helping them start the school year ready to learn and grow.

But school supplies are just one piece of what kids need to succeed.

Did you know that in Texas, child care now costs more than in-state college tuition? And that over 600,000 Texas children are left alone and unsupervised between the hours of 3 and 6 p.m.?

Across Greater Houston, families you know are facing major barriers to consistent, high-quality care. As the new school year approaches, your support can go even further than backpacks and pencils.

By giving to YMCA child care programs, you help provide:

• Safe spaces for children to learn, play, and grow

• Enriching activities that support academic and emotional development

• Trusted care that allows working parents to remain employed and stable

Your investment helps families return to the school year not just with supplies, but with the support they need to thrive.

Thank you for believing in brighter futures for every child.

Every $150 gives a student two weeks of access to YMCA After-School programming.