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WAYS TO HELP

OUR GROUPS

HOW WE HELP

Our Impact

250 Backpacks. One Community.

Donation Dates: July 15–31

Our 2026 Back to School Drive Has Ended

Thank you to everyone who donated, volunteered, and partnered with us to help local students start the school year with the supplies they need to succeed. Thanks to your support, we collected over 10,000 school supplies and distributed 800 fully stocked backpacks to nine schools across the seven parishes we serve.

Backpacks were distributed to Esperanza Foundational Academy, Esperanza Academy Middle School, Geraldine Boudreaux Elementary School, Phoenix High School, E. E. Lyon Elementary School, Independence Leadership Academy, Woodland Park Magnet School, Arabi Elementary School, and Central Elementary.

 

Thank you to WDSU for helping rally our community and to Audubon Nature Institute, Canal Barge, Dardis Couvillon & Associates, Federal Reserve Bank, First Horizon Bank, Gulf Coast Bank, Jones Walker, Liberty Bank, Loyola University New Orleans, NAMI, Northshore Mandeville Kiwanis Club, Pan-American Life Insurance Group, Pelican Credit Union, STEM Library Lab, and Zachry Group for helping make the drive a success.

United Back to School Drive 8.5.26

250 Backpacks. One Community.

Together, we helped local students begin the school year ready to learn.

Every student deserves to start the school year with the supplies
they need to learn, grow, and succeed. That’s why United Way of Southeast Louisiana and WDSU are partnering with our community to fill 250 backpacks with essential school supplies for local students.

Why It Matters

Every school year brings excitement and opportunity, but for many hardworking families, it also brings financial stress. Nearly half of households across Southeast Louisiana live in poverty or below the ALICE® Threshold (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed), making it difficult to afford school supplies while covering everyday essentials. 

For many, purchasing backpacks, notebooks, pencils, and other classroom essentials means stretching an already tight budget. Your donation helps ease that burden while giving local students the confidence and tools they need to begin the school year prepared to succeed. 

By giving today, you’re helping local students walk into the classroom prepared and confident on day one. 

Our Community Goal: 250 Backpacks

Imagine the first day of school. Now imagine 250 students walking through those doors carrying backpacks filled with everything they need because their community came together to make it happen. Whether you donate one notebook or several backpacks, every contribution moves us closer to our goal.

HOW TO HELP

Donate Supplies

Drop off new school supplies at any participating United Way location from July 15 to 31.

Shop Online

Purchase supplies through our Amazon Wish List, and they'll be shipped directly to United Way.

Spread the Word

Share this drive with your family, friends, coworkers, or organization to help us reach our goal.

Most Needed Items

Backpacks

Colored Pencils

Composition & Spiral Notebooks

Crayons  

Disinfectant Wipes

Erasers

Glue Sticks

Highlighters  

Kleenex  

Loose Leaf Paper  

Markers  

No. 2 Pencils  

Paper Towels  

Pencil Sharpeners  

Plastic Folders  

Rulers  

Scissors 

Drop-Off Locations

J. Wayne Leonard Prosperity Center
2401 Canal St., New Orleans

 

Northshore Prosperity Center
834 N. Columbia St., Covington

 

United Way of Southeast Louisiana 
Resiliency Center
founded by Rebuilding Together New Orleans
2831 St. Claude Ave., New Orleans

UWSELA Prosperity Center- Bogalusa Campus
432 Avenue U, Bogalusa

 

UWSELA Prosperity Center- New Orleans East Campus
8324 Morrison Rd., New Orleans

 

UWSELA Prosperity Center- St. Bernard Campus
7143 St. Claude Ave, Arabi

Frequently Asked Questions

Who receives the backpacks?

Local students and families across Southeast Louisiana.

Do supplies need to be new?

Yes. Please donate only new, unused school supplies.

Can my business or organization host a collection drive?

Yes! Contact us to learn how your workplace, school, or community group can participate.

Helena Moreno

Campaign Email:  letsgo@helenamorenola.com
Contact Phone Number:  (504) 655-2878


Campaign Website and Social Media Handles
www.helenamorenola.com
@HelenamorenoHQ  |  @helenamorenola

Commitment: If elected, would you dedicate additional funding in the City budget for early care and education?

Yes.

If so, how would you prioritize it in the budget?

Both in the state legislature and city council, I’ve been a strong supporter of bringing early childhood education to New Orleans. In 2018, we allocated the first $1.5M in city funds for additional seats. As Council President, we doubled that to $3M. I was the lead author to put the pre-k millage on the ballot, providing millions more. I will continue this work as mayor. As for additional funding for pre-k, is there anything more important? We have demonstrated to the public that local government can make progress on this issue with increased resources. There are competing priorities, especially when it comes to drainage, but our kids desperately need pre-k, and so do our parents, who are under pressure to be both caregiver and financial provider.

Commitment:  If elected, will you use your power and platform to advocate at the state and federal levels for sustained early childhood funding? If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this.

Yes.

Every leader at the local, state, and federal levels should be working together to provide high-quality early childhood education to our young people. I will always shout from the rooftops about the enormous benefits of Head Start and pre-k, along with Medicaid, SNAP, public housing, and kids’ programming on PBS. As mayor, I will lead a broad intergovernmental relations effort with constant coordination between city leadership, the legislative delegation, and advocates. I don’t think anyone is listening, for now, but that can change. More broadly, this is why the mayoral election is so important. New Orleans needs to stand on its own two feet. No one is coming to rescue us, so we must be strong in the face of unprecedented economic, environmental, and political headwinds.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to ensuring our early care and education providers can keep their doors open, grow their business, pay a living wage to their teachers, and help ensure families and educators can continue to afford to live in the city? If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this.

Yes.

Child care providers will have a strong supporter in the mayor’s office when I am elected. Our city hall will serve as a hub, connecting needs and resources, with a focus on streamlining red tape for critical service providers, such as those offering child care. It is not enough to have more early childhood seats; we need quality. Even at current levels of local and state funding, pre-K early education programs exist in an environment where low wages are the norm and facilities are often in disrepair. The current climate at the state and federal levels may preclude additional funds. Yet, at the local level, as I mentioned earlier, is there anything more important than pre-k? We have demonstrated to the public that local government can make progress on this issue with increased resources.

Commitment: If elected, would you commit to ensuring essential local workers – including those in city government – can access childcare through local providers, and that private sector employers do their part in ensuring their employees can access the childcare they need to work, be productive, and grow our economy? If yes, please elaborate on how you would fulfill this commitment.

Yes.

I will always advocate amongst employers and at the state level for a real-living wage that can provide for a family. In workplaces across New Orleans and at city hall, I see parents working double time, struggling to keep up due to a lack of child care. Part of the answer is more public school seats for children aged 6 months to 4 years old. For older kids, I want NORD to do more. A lot more. I have been a leader in expanding NORD’s budget to record highs. Now the goal is to maximize services during non-school hours. Summer enrichment is especially crucial to prevent any backslide. In short, I want to usher in a NORD Renaissance, especially after school. This would go a long way, especially for working parents who need a few more critical hours of support before they can leave work.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to maintaining this office and protecting these investments?

Yes.

How will you ensure these efforts are sustained beyond your term and are prioritized in future budgets?

Yes. I helped lead the effort for early childhood education with Agenda for Children, and I will commit to maintaining and protecting these early childhood investments. They were hard won, and we cannot lose them. If anything, we need an expansion, which will be the key subject of future budgets, which must balance ALL the city’s needs. The bottom line: we must support families, or else they will simply leave, and New Orleans will not have a future.