08/31/2026
On August 6, 2026, a group of Credit Union Development Educators from the United States and the Caribbean gathered together in Trinidad and Tobago to witness the culmination of their work during the third annual Backpack Campaign.
What began as a conversation at a Carib DE training that I was facilitating has now grown into an effort that is making a real difference in the lives of children. While mentoring in the Caribbean, a fellow mentor shared the work already being done to support children in Trinidad and Tobago and asked for my help in continuing and expanding the campaign.
In the spirit of the cooperative principle of Cooperation Among Cooperatives, I saw an opportunity to help magnify the work and bring others together around a simple but powerful mission. For many of these children, resources are limited, and some have historically carried their school supplies to school in plastic bags rather than having a backpack of their own.
What may seem like a small gesture is actually something mighty, because receiving a backpack filled with school supplies gives a child a sense of pride, belonging, and confidence as they walk into a new school year prepared and equipped for what lies ahead.
This year, more than 450 backpacks filled with school supplies were distributed, making this the largest crowd and distribution in the history of the campaign.
After three years of growth and impact, we are excited to see where this effort goes next, and for anyone who would like to be part of the journey, please email James Hunter
emailto:[email protected]
