SANTA ANA, Calif. – AUGUST 7, 2025 – The Orangewood Foundation (Orangewood), the leading provider of youth and young adult services in Orange County, held their Back-to-School Backpack Drive yesterday, which gave away 600 backpacks for youth in need to be able to thrive in the new academic year.
This year, the National Retail Federation, estimates families will spend an average of $858 on school supplies.
For students struggling to make ends meet, including many of the youth Orangewood Foundation serves, these costs can be overwhelming. Each day, approximately 60 young adults (ages 18–24) turn to Orangewood for support—many of whom are transitioning out of the foster care system, in need of housing, or survivors of human trafficking. Unfortunately, access to educational opportunities remains limited for these youth, and the rising cost of school supplies only makes those opportunities feel further out of reach…