Faced with the rising cost of living, the Trois-Rivières organization Les Artisans de la Paix has decided to change the traditional distribution of school bags filled with school materials for families in need. In addition to schoolbags, pencils and notebooks, clothing and snacks will be offered.

Back to school is an important time for children who would like to have new equipment and clothes each year.

"We said to ourselves, 'how can we improve the service we already offer, backpacks?' So there, now, we are talking more about back-to-school baskets, ”explained the director general of the Artisans de la Paix, Robert Tardif.

The organization wants to design 500 baskets, which will cost approximately $50,000.

“Families told us that the coming back to school was a difficult ordeal that was stressing them out. We created this project in partnership with other organizations, which means that we will seek out more families, ”added a worker from the organization, Charline Vaugeois.

The Minister of Labour, Employment, Social Solidarity, Immigration, Francisation, Integration and responsible for the Mauricie region, Jean Boulet, increased his annual contribution, increasing it from $5,000 to $10,000 to support the project.

Already, 200 families have registered to benefit from the articles for the start of the school year.

To donate, you must place the items in a box and bring it to the offices of the Artisans de la Paix. Cash donations are also accepted.

For families interested in receiving these baskets, you must contact the organization directly or the one with whom they normally do business that is part of the project. The distribution will take place on August 17, 18 and 19, with the possibility of an extension on August 22, 23 and 24.