Backpack Giveaway Helps Students Head Back To Class In Denver's Sun Valley Neighborhood

DENVER (CBS4)- A group of students headed back to school in Denver's Sun Valley neighborhood got a big surprise Friday. Toyota and the Denver Toyota Dealers Association donated backpacks and school supplies to help support 60 deserving children from the Sun Valley Youth Center.

The donation will help Sun Valley's low-income and at-risk youth prepare for the school year while also helping the kids thrive and succeed.

"Sun Valley is one of the poorest communities in Colorado. The average income here doesn't really afford for folks to have extra money so they're barely surviving to have food and supplies they need for their household," said Kris Rollerson, Executive Director of the Sun Valley youth Center.

Rollerson said their goal this year was to have 60 backpacks full of supplies, but at one point didn't think they'd meet that goal. That's when Toyota stepped in and saved the day.

"We had a shortage of backpacks and we had a blessing come in the day I found out we were going to have a shortage of backpacks," said Rollerson.

Additionally, 30 students from the center got to attend the Colorado Rockies game against the Miami Marlins this Friday as a guest of Toyota.