UCAES Fills Backpacks with Hope

By Brenda Ermshar,

UCAES Teacher

Just as the 2026-2027 school was about to begin, thousands of families in and around Spokane, WA, were ordered to evacuate their homes due to multiple fires that ignited outside the city and in neighboring communities. For more than 600 of those families, charred homes, lost property, and devastated hearts became a harsh reality. The Spokane Complex fires sparked a desire in the administration at Upper Columbia Academy Elementary School (UCAES) to help those in need.

“With school starting just around the corner, we knew that getting school supplies for their children would be the least of these parents’ worries,” said Ted Alekel, UCAES principal. “We wanted to help take a modest burden off parents’ shoulders in a way that our UCAES students could feel a direct connection with other kids. Schools became a refuge for children where at least one aspect of life would feel normal, and we wanted to outfit them.”

As a small elementary school in Spangle, WA, UCAES decided to put in motion “Backpacks with Hope.” This school supply drive sought donations of backpacks, paper, pencils, markers, crayons, pens, notebooks, scissors, rulers — all the supplies needed for a successful school year.

To get the word out, UCAES sent out social media posts announcing the drive, and posters were distributed throughout the small town of Spangle. The local bank, post office, gas station, restaurants, and community churches were all eager to help by putting up the posters in their front windows or lobby.

“When I shared about Backpacks with Hope, my church got excited to help,” said Lonny V. Scott, Spangle Community Church pastor. “All the families felt blessed to donate, and we know they did so prayerfully.”

Over the three-week time frame of the drive, donors full backpacks and a variety of school supplies began pouring in.

“We wanted to support the school in this effort to help fire victims,” said donors Russ and Pamela Holcomb. “We even put a little ice cream gift card in the backpacks we donated to give the kids an ice cream hug.”

At the close of the drive, UCAES collected 25 full backpacks and more than 50 pounds of school supplies through the generosity of the community. Upper Columbia Conference Adventist Community Services was the school’s partner in the distribution of supplies to Spokane families in need, but this was not the end of the story.

“A week before school started, a family came to register at our school, and as the conversation progressed, we found out that they had lost their home in the fire,” said Alekel. “We were so thrilled to have the resources immediately available for their children to start the school year feeling loved and supported by this community.”

Each smiling face in the midst of adversity is a testimony to God’s promise to work all things together for good and demonstrates how He uses individuals to make His promises a reality. Sometimes, sharing hope and wholeness can be as simple as filling a backpack with school supplies.