Super Goal 2023 Donates 5,000 Backpacks to GRIC Schools

Emma Hughes
Gila River Indian News

Just prior to the biggest sporting event of the year, the Gila River Indian Community received 5,000 backpacks filled with essential school supplies for under-resourced students thanks to Super Goal 2023: Phoenix.

Former NFL linebacker for the Arizona Cardinals Lorenzo Alexander hosted the Kids in Need Foundation event at Skyline Prep High School Feb. 9, which featured former and current professional football players helping to assemble a total of 10,000 backpacks.

 GRIC’s Tribal Education Department, in partnership with the Kids in Need Foundation and Treasures 4 Teachers, distributed the 5,000 backpacks to schools in the Community.

Treasures 4 Teachers, a donation-based resource center providing materials, resources and training to educators in the state, helped connect the Community to the event.

“They [Treasures 4 Teachers] called us as part of the Super Bowl planning and wanted to make a donation of 5,000 backpacks to the Community,” said TED Director Isaac Salcido.

From there, TED staff and volunteers assisted in packing supplies during the Super Goal event.

“We had all the help, and we’re excited to get them out to the schools,” said Arlanna Jackson, TED project manager.

Each backpack contains notebooks, pencils, erasers, markers, crayons and more.

On Feb. 10, shipping pallets stacked with boxes were lined up outside the Sacaton Head Start Center. Jackson and additional TED staff Nadia Huff, Carolyn Escalante and Anna Blackwater, were assisted by volunteers Sineca Jackson and Escalante’s two children to help load boxes for the schools.

“It’s great; it’s always a good thing when we can do something for the families in the community,” said Salcido. “I like the way our team always pulls together and gets it done.”