Team Mari Back to School 2025

Hi everyone!!

I'm Mari, I'm a 18-year-old kid from Flint, MI. I am known globally as "Little Miss Flint". While I known nationally for my work as a clean water advocate a big part of my work is giving back to the kids right here in Flint, Michigan.

This year marks my 10th year doing my annual back-to-school drive and backpack giveaway. In my very first year, my goal was 50 backpacks and I was able to 100. In my second year, we did 1,000 backpacks. My third year we did a backpack for every single child in the city of Flint. To date, we have been able to distribute 21,000 fully stuffed backpacks.

In addition to backpacks and supplies, we have been able to distribute hygiene kits, books, socks, underwear, sneakers, school uniforms, clothing, and so much more.

The average cost of the school supply list from teachers from kindergarten to 12th grade is over 120 dollars, most low-income families can not afford these supplies and it puts a strain on the kid's teachers to try to fill the gap. We want to make sure kids are equipped with everything they need to have a successful school year.

Our focus this year is

-1,000 backpacks with supplies

-150 pairs of sneakers

-100+ packs of socks

-100+ packs of underwear

-100 period kits

-Hair accessories for the girls

We also are seeking some community partners to offer

-Hair cuts

-Hair braiding

-Food

-Resources for families in need

`Our event isn't just a backpack giveaway, it's an event for the entire family that aims to meet the needs of local kids heading back to school.