An undated photo of keiki showing off their school backpacks in Hawaii. (Hawaii Island Police)
HONOLULU (KHON2) — Hawaii Police Department is there to protect our community but on some occasions, they’re also there to give back. On June 19, Big Island police once again initiated its islandwide backpack drive for keiki in need.
According to Big Island police, the most requested non-food item by charities in the state is backpacks.
If you want to help Hawaii’s most vulnerable keiki, you can drop off new and unfilled backpacks for donations at your nearby Hawaii Police Department station.
Police said the donated backpacks will be given to children at women’s shelters, homeless shelters, and transitional housing facilities around the island.
Since 2008, the police department has teamed with Hope Services Hawaii to collect school backpacks for the keiki.
Big Island officers said in 2022 their police stations received more than 700 backpacks that were then distributed by Hope Services.