Arizona Helping Hands is looking to donate more than 7,500 backpacks filled with school supplies to children in the state’s foster-care system this summer.

The nonprofit organization, which helps thousands in Arizona’s foster-care system, is getting ready to hold its 11th Annual Back to School Drive. The backpacks will be distributed from July 13 through Aug. 4.

Arizona Helping Hands is asking residents of Queen Creek to donate money, sign up to host a collection drive and/or drop off backpacks and school supplies at the group’s resource center located at 3110 E. Thunderbird Road, suite 100, Phoenix, or at Banner Health Physical Therapy, 20851 E. Rittenhouse Road, suite E103 in Queen Creek.

People can also help by shopping from Arizona Helping Hands’ back-to-school Amazon Wishlist.

The group is asking for:

• Backpacks
• Pencils, pens, crayons, dry erase markers, pouches

• Erasers
• Notebooks, binders, dividers
• Clothes
• Shoes
• Water bottles
• Lunch boxes
• Ice freezer packs

Along with the annual back-to-school drive, Arizona Helping Hands depends on donations to allow it to give out backpacks throughout the year.

“Because children in foster care typically leave their homes with nothing but the clothes on their backs, a new backpack with school supplies may be needed at any time throughout the year,” according to the organization’s website. “Today, just as many backpacks are given throughout the year as they are at the Back to School Distribution hosted in the summer.”

Information: azhelpinghands.org or linktr.ee.