MRCF announces closing & next steps! Read more about it here.

The Backpack Program

How It All Started

The Monet Richardson Community Foundation was founded in 2021 by Pat Richardson for her daughter, Kristian “Krissy” Monet Richardson, who passed away in May 2021. Krissy was the original founder of the Backpack Program.

Even from a young age, Krissy had a strong passion for children, social justice, and activism, and she was determined to help the students in her community. In 2018, Krissy partnered with the Carrboro-Chapel Hill YMCA Y Learning program to create a backpack program to help provide resources for students in underserved communities. Over a 100 backpacks were filled with school supplies and distributed to students in Orange County schools. 

The underlying objective of the Monet Richardson Community Foundation Backpack Program is to help mitigate this challenge for underserved children. MRCF works with the Carrboro Chapel Hill School System, Chapel Hill YMCA, as well as the Edgecombe/Nash County School System, Boy & Girls Club in Nash/Edgecombe Counties, along with community partners to provide backpacks filled with school supplies to the underserved demographics provided by the school system in these counties.

Video: Krissy in action! These backpacks went to the students at three elementary schools in Carrboro Chapel Hill City Schools in 2018.

Providing For Underserved Children In Our Community

The Monet Richardson Community Foundation is proud to introduce our Backpack Program—an initiative that extends a helping hand to underserved children from Kindergarten to 5th grade. We achieve this by providing fully stocked backpacks, each one brimming with the essential school supplies needed to foster academic success. In collaboration with the Chapel Hill-Carrboro YMCA Y Learning Program, Boys & Girls Club in Nash and Edgecombe Counties, and Fairview Elementary School, our aim is to turn what could be challenges at the start of the academic year into opportunities for growth. Through this program, we are committed to ensuring every child begins their school year on a positive note, equipped with the tools they need to thrive.

Donate Supplies

MRCF is excited to announce we will be placing MRCF School Supply Pantry boxes in local business in our communities! We look forward to serving our community all year round. If you are interested in having a MRCF School Supply Pantry box at your business or would like to donate items, please contact us at themonetfoundation@gmail.com.

Wish List

  • 8-Tab Dividers
  • Calculators
  • Pack of Loose Leaf Paper
  • Pencil Grippers
  • 12 inch Ruler
  • Water Bottles
  • Pack of Index Cards
  • 12 count-Package of Crayola Markers
  • 3 in a pack Glue Sticks
  • Small Hand Sanitizer
  • 12 Pack of pens (blue or black)
  • 24 count box of Crayons
  • 3-Pack of Highlighters
  • 12 Pack of #2 Pencils
  • Pair of small Scissors-2 pack
  • Wide ruled composition or spiral notebooks
  • 12-count Crayola Colored Pencils
  • Fidget Toys & Novelty Pens
  • Pencil Pouch unisex
  • 3 Ring Binders (1-3in)
  • Any count Erasers-least expensive
  • 2-Pocket Folders
  • 2 in a pack-Pencil Sharpeners
  • Backpacks Unisex
  • Financial Literacy Book (Health Book)
  • MCRF Wrist Bands & Other Wrist Bands
  • Wired Headphones