Packing the essentials: Program helps students with back-to-school needs

L-R – CEO & Portfolio Manager Todd Blaseckie, Front Office Coordinator Samantha Edwards, and Marketing Manager Natalie Nguyen filling backpacks at last year’s event.

As families begin navigating the road back to school, the Alitis Backpack Program returns to make a meaningful impact for local children.

Now in its second year, the program equips local children with the school supplies they need to succeed.

What started as a simple idea rooted in community values has grown into a cherished initiative across the Comox Valley and Campbell River. For Alicia Reny, Firm Operations Manager at Alitis, the inspiration came naturally.

“My background was in the social service sector,” she shares. “When I joined Alitis, I wanted to combine our values of community and lifelong learning into something that could truly support families. A backpack program just made sense.”

The idea has resonated – both internally and externally. Last year, Alitis assembled 108 backpacks each for the Comox Valley Food Bank and the Campbell River Food Bank. This year, they’ve increased the target to 120 backpacks per location. While the numbers are important, the feedback from the food banks tells the deeper story.

“Both food banks mentioned how impressed they were with the quality of the backpacks and the supplies,” Reny says. “They were sturdy, well-thought-out kits. It really made a difference for the families receiving them.”

The first family to receive backpacks from the Alitis Backpack Program.

Beyond the supplies themselves, the program helps build a sense of community. When food bank clients visited the Comox office to collect their backpacks last year, their appreciation was unmistakable. “They were so proud to show off their new packs,” Reny recalls. “Moments like that remind us why this matters.”

This year, the initiative is expanding to include pack-building events in both Comox and Campbell River, emphasizing team engagement within Alitis while further strengthening ties to the communities they serve. Looking ahead, there are plans to deepen that connection by hosting future events on-site at food banks, allowing staff to see the full circle of their impact.

Volunteers at the Comox Valley Food Bank.

But for Reny, the backpack program also carries a broader message.

“One thing I hope people take away is that food banks do so much more than provide food,” she says. “There are so many ways to give back – and donations can go far beyond groceries. And you never know who you’re helping. The person you pass in the community could be someone you supported through a donation like this.”
At its heart, the Backpack Program represents more than school supplies – it’s about dignity, opportunity, and the simple but powerful act of showing up for your neighbours.

Community members are encouraged to get involved by helping spread the word, donating directly through the food banks’ websites or via Canada Helps, or by assembling and donating their own backpack kits. “It’s exciting and it feels important to us to have that full circle of collaboration with ourselves, our clients, and the community.”
Looking to the future, the Alitis team would also like to hear from their community on ways they can support their neighbours even more. “If anyone has any ideas for us, we are open to hearing anybody’s proposals, ideas, or suggestions. We want to be as active in the community as we can be,” says Reny.

Alitis Investment Counsel can be reached by phone at 250-287-4933 or by email at info@alitis.ca. Visit them in person at one of their three locations: 101-909 Island Highway in Campbell River, 103-695 Aspen Road in Comox, or 1480 Fort Street in Victoria. Learn more online at alitis.ca.