Cheryl Watson, co-owner of Auto Connect Sales in Peterborough, believes it shouldn’t be hard to be a kid. That’s why, on Saturday, August 8, the well-known used car dealership is partnering with United Way Peterborough & District to host a one-day donation blitz that will equip financially vulnerable students with the supplies they need to excel this academic school year. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the “Fill the Fords” event at Auto Connect Sales at 1175 Lansdowne Street West invites community members and businesses to donate to United Way’s Backpacks for Success program. The program supports local students in kindergarten to grade 12 by providing them with backpacks stocked with essential school supplies. “We firmly believe that every student, no matter what it is that they’re walking through, deserves to walk into their first day of school feeling prepared, set up for success, and confident,” says Adeline Murphy, campaign officer for United Way Peterborough & District. “Unfortunately for many families in our community, purchasing school supplies has just become increasingly difficult. What we have learned is that our community can come together through programs like this one to make a real difference in the lives of those students.” The affordability crisis has made the situation even worse. According to the United Way Centraide Canada Financial Anxiety Index poll, conducted by Léger and released in June, 40 per cent of Canadians report difficulty sleeping due to financial stress and 22 per cent of Canadians have personally experienced poverty, which is up from 19 per cent in 2025. “We see the effects of the affordability crisis that we’re experiencing across the country in our community every single day,” says Murphy. “For many families, school supplies have just become one more expense that is increasingly difficult to manage.” The Backpacks for Success