Family Giving Tree Says No to San Jose Sharks Backpacks

The Family Giving Tree is now accepting backpack donations for the 2011-2012 school year, and plans to distribute them to students at and , starting August 10.

Since its inception as an MBA project at San Jose State University, the philanthropic organization has faced some unique challenges in the Bay Area, said Program Manager Al Galan.

“This year’s new wrinkle is no Sharks logos,” Galan said, “Somehow the sports team is being affiliated with gangs in Sunnyvale.”

Galan noted that this disappointed him, as he is a San Jose Sharks fan. 

The Famliy Giving Tree has collected about 5,000 backpacks in a 20,000 square foot warehouse in Milpitas, California during this year's back-to-school drive, according to Galan. About 2,000 were donated, while the rest were purchased with donated money. 

“We’re waiting on a shipment of school supplies, so volunteers can stuff them,” Galan said. 

The Family Giving Tree will give the backpacks brimming with school supplies to students at underprivileged academic institutions throughout the Bay Area. Teachers and other school faculty members decide who gets what type of backpack.  

To participate in the process, instructors or school administrators submit an application to the Family Giving Tree, detailing needs such as “no red, blue, or pink backpacks due to gang affiliations.” The Family Giving Tree processes their requests, filtering the backpacks primarily based on the age of the recipient.

“I don’t think a high school kid is going to take a Lighting McQueen backpack to school,” Galan said.

High school students will get larger backpacks than the ones given to elementary school pupils, Galan said.

Some of the backpacks were donated by patrons of the Peet’s Coffee in Menlo Park, which has partnered with the organization for the past two years.

“The success of the program is due largely to the enthusiasm and participation by Peet’s employees, as well as the generosity of Peet’s customers,” said Nicole Arena, Peet’s Coffee Spokesperson.  The company collected 272 backpacks last year, and hopes to collect 300 this year.

“While people are waiting for their coffee, they could pick up a luggage handle from the display by the checkout,” Galan said, “They can wrap that on the backpack they want to donate and then drop it off at Peet’s.”