INDIANAPOLIS — An Indianapolis couple is helping 200 kids get ready to head back to school with a giveaway of backpacks, supplies and more.
The effort is about more than just backpacks. It's also about keeping kids safe during the school year.
"The children are our future, so we want to give them the best that we can give them to help them succeed," said Deborah Cooley
Deborah has a mission.
Beginning Saturday at noon, Cooley and her husband, Robert, will be giving away more than 200 backpacks filled with supplies at the Indianapolis Public Library branch on East 38th Street.
Their giving has been spurred by young people becoming victims of gun violence. They said the shooting of 12-year-old Dayshawn Bills really struck a chord.
"At his grandmother's house, just playing video games, and there was a drive-by shooting and he was shot," said Deborah.
That shooting left the Arlington Middle School student brain dead. He was taken off life support.
"This is more than just about backpacks for me because I think prayer, you know, 'Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have I'll give it unto you.' We have prayed for our boys. We want to pray for these families," Robert said.
As well as offer those families who have loved and lost a sense of comfort, a sense of peace.
"At the end of the day, these backpacks aren't going to solve anything, but we are going to let these families know they aren't forgotten," said Robert.
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