A Lansing neighbor is making a difference in the community by hosting a free backpack drive at Once Upon a Child, helping families prepare for the upcoming school year.
- Jenna Nichols is in her fourth year of providing free backpacks and school supplies to local students.
- What started with just six backpacks in 2020 has grown to more than 100 backpacks in 2025.
- Students and families lined up before the event started, with half the backpacks claimed within the first 20 minutes.
WATCH: Lansing neighbor provides free backpacks to students in need
Lansing neighbor hosts free backpack drive for students in need
I visited Once Upon a Child in Lansing on Sunday, where not everything in the store cost money. Lansing neighbor Jenna Nichols was hosting her annual backpack pickup event for local students.
“I didn’t really have much to do, and I love school supplies. So, I couldn’t buy them for myself at that point, so I decided to start out buying some backpacks and supplies for kids who needed them,” Nichols said.
What began with just six free backpacks in 2020 has expanded significantly, with Nichols providing more than 100 backpacks in 2025…