SMOAC Buddy’s Backpacks

07/17/2025

Three weeks to go… SMOAC Buddy’s Backpacks… you can go to…. www.SMOAC.org… to find our over 20 business donation sites❣️… some amazing stories below of how others are helping our students … Elana Levens-Craig (our team member) and Santee-Lakeside Rotary help our community in so many ways while collecting backpacks 🎒 and school supplies ✏️ the next photo shows Bianca Villalobos who adopted our program… below that are some of the outstanding businesses hosting our donation boxes… on the bottom row …. Santee Lakes is offering a FREE Pedal Boat ride (that is incredibly fun) with a donation of a BACKPACK 🎒 Now thru August 5th❣️next to that our incredible team ( Suzanne Story Coleman, Sylvia Michetti Nollet and Rose Garner) will do the shopping for you simply use the Venmo in the last photo. Helen Noorda and her Bingo team bring so many special moments each year .. ❣️… I started this over 10 years ago with the help of Rob McNelis and Dustin Trotter who always help shine the light on this special program as a living tribute to other co-founder Buddy Rabaya… because of so many who believe in helping our students we have helped over 13,000 and counting since 2015❣️🤩👏 Thank you to so many who allow this to continue to happen

07/16/2025

Thank you Santee Lakes for your incredible support❣️ did you know we still have time to have a fun boat ride while helping our students and families get ready for school 🤩🎒

Bring in a new backpack and get a free pedal boat ride🦺📚✂️✏️to support Buddies Backpacks!
You can drop off your donation at the General Store or Gatehouse. To learn how you can help or get more info. visit www.smoac.org Thank you 😊 for your support of this program that has helped over 13,000 students and counting since 2015❣️

06/25/2025

We are kicking off our 11th year of Buddy’s Backpacks 🎒 July 1st… to August 5th Thank you for your continued support of this amazing program that touches so many students year after year❣️🎉🤩😘 Information is below:

07/31/2024

Buddy’s Backpacks distribution day this Saturday, August 3rd at 9 am at Rio Seco Elementary School first come first served, Please have your child in the car. 😊

Thank you to so many in the community donations, over 18 donation sites, volunteers, and an amazing team Suzanne, Rose, Sylvia, Elana, along with Judy and Helen❣️🤩🫶

07/28/2024

We are still collecting backpacks 🎒 and School supplies ✏️ until August 1st❣️ we have a couple more days to donate to help our students at more than 18 donation sites…
Santee Coffee Corner,
Santee Lakes,
All the Santee Starbucks,
Deano's Pub,
Santee Public Library,
Santee YMCA,
New Frontier Mobile Home Community,
Meadowbrook Santee Mobile Home Estates,
Coastal Kids Dentistry & Orthodontics,
Step by Step Serenity & Beyond,
Expressions Dance and Movement Center,
Barnes & Noble,
Carlton Oaks Country Club,
Impressions Hair & Nails - Santee, CA,
BNS Brewing & Distilling Co.,
East County Schools Federal Credit Union,
BLISS Care Foundation,
Angela’s Kitchen,
Santee-Lakeside Rotary,
All the Santee Fire Stations thanks to the Santee Firefighters Association Thank for the incredible support of these donation sites, our community, our volunteers, and your donation year after year❣️🤩
Thank you for your amazing support of Buddy’s Backpacks 🫶.. over a decade (2015 - 2024) and over 12,000 backpacks filled with school supplies and counting .. 🤩 Thank you to an outstanding team Suzzane, Rose, Sylvia, Elana, along with Judy and Helen ❤️

07/22/2024

Just simply so touching one of amazing donation sites..Bianca Villalobos embodies this amazing program Buddy’s Backpacks vision of helping our students by starting her own donation site❣️💯🫶🤩🎒✏️

07/21/2024

We are at Barnes & Noble - Santee .. TODAY… from 10 am to 7 pm.. Sunday, July 21st .. Another cool 😎 way this month to help our students 👀 for Buddy’s Backpacks Please … Save the Dates: ➡️ July 21st to July 28th Barnes & Noble … give them this Bookfair #12781159 number … either … online or in-store … purchases during this week this can help our students get more backpacks 🎒 and school supplies ✏️.. We will also be … in-person … collecting donations … on ➡️… Saturday, July 27th… and .. Sunday, July 28th … Hope to see you there❣️… Thank you for your amazing support and incredible donations for this amazing program in our 10th year (2015 - 2024) helping our students over the years 💯🤩 📚 🎒✏️