🎒 We Got Your Back – Backpack Drive

The East Central Iowa Association of REALTORS® (ECIAR), in partnership with participating brokerages, is proud to launch the 4th Annual "We Got Your Back" initiative — a community-focused effort to ensure that students in need across our area start the school year ready to succeed.

 📅  Program Dates: 

June 1 – August 1, 2025

 💼 What It’s All About: 

Throughout the summer, ECIAR REALTORS® and brokerages will be collecting:

• Backpack donations
• Cash contributions

🎉 Program Impact:

Over the past three years, thanks to the generosity of our members and community supporters, we've been able to collect over 2,000 backpacks — and we're not slowing down!

 ✏️  Why It Matters: 

Our goal is to help fill the gap for local students by providing new backpacks to those who need them most. These donated backpacks will be distributed as part of St. Mark Youth Enrichment’s Fill the Bag School Supply Program, which supports over 3,500 students in the Dubuque, Western Dubuque, and East Dubuque school districts.

Each year, many families in our community face financial challenges when it comes to back-to-school expenses. A new backpack may seem small, but it provides a student with dignity, confidence, and the tools they need to learn and grow.

Through this collaboration with St. Mark Youth Enrichment, we’re working together to set students up for success — one backpack at a time.

 💖 How You Can Help:

• Drop off a new backpack at any participating brokerage
   
• Make a cash donation to help us purchase additional backpacks
   

Every donation makes a difference!