WSFS, the Philadelphia Union and CityTeam Chester Team Up to Provide School Supplies to Thousands of Chester Students

With the start of the school year rapidly approaching, it was time to ensure area students had the school supplies needed to succeed.

This year, WSFS teamed up with the Philadelphia Union and CityTeam Chester to help students in need through the Union’s annual Backpack Carnival. WSFS served as the presenting sponsor for the Backpack Carnival, marking the first major event of the recently announced multi-year partnership agreement that made WSFS the official bank partner and community supporter of the Philadelphia Union and Subaru Park.

But first, thousands of backpacks stuffed with school supplies needed to be gathered and assembled. Team WSFS volunteers joined CityTeam Chester at their facility in the days leading up to the big event, where Associates helped prepare 2,000 backpacks for students.

When the big day arrived, thousands of Chester, Pa. students and their families took to Subaru Park to collect their school supplies, but were treated to much more. The Backpack Carnival featured face painting, games for the children, food, prizes, and a visit from the WSFS Ice Cream Truck to help these children have an amazing start to the school year when they picked up their backpacks.

While this was WSFS’ first year sponsoring the Backpack Carnival, the Bank is no stranger to helping students in need get their school supplies to have a successful year of learning. WSFS holds a backpack drive annually, accepting donations from its Associates to fill backpacks and baskets with the supplies needed by both students and their teachers for the year ahead.

Each year, WSFS’ generous Associates provide hundreds of backpacks and baskets to schools located throughout its footprint in Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey to support students and emphasize the importance of education. Team WSFS volunteers also regularly provide financial education lessons to schools, both in-person and virtually, throughout the year to ensure students have a solid foundation of money management skills built.

Thousands have benefitted through the years as a result of WSFS’ work with various organizations to support local students and schools, and this year those efforts will reach even further thanks to the partnership with the Philadelphia Union and CityTeam Chester.