TOLEDO, Ohio — The Toledo Hemp Center and Buckeyes and Beyond are teaming up to replace backpacks that were stolen at the Hemp Center's Community Cookout.
On Aug. 14, the Hemp Center hosted its annual Community Cookout to raise awareness for hungry children in the community. Backpacks full of school supplies were also being handed out to local children at the event.
During the event, 72 of the 224 backpacks were stolen by two cars that pulled up, loaded the backpacks into the vehicles and pulled away. Organizers were busy preparing food for the event and noticed too late that the backpacks were gone.
"Thinking back, the placement of the backpacks could have been better, but honestly I truly did not think anyone would steal them as they were obviously being distributed to local children in need," said Kevin Spitler, co-organizer of the cookout.
When the Hemp Center and Mike Hoch of Buckeyes and Beyond realized some children weren't going to get backpacks, they took matters into their own hands.
Buckeyes and Beyond purchased 72 new backpacks for the Toledo Hemp Center to fill with school supplies donated by the community to give to the children who were cheated out of their backpacks.
"No child should get left behind," Hoch said. "72 children would have not received any school supplies if not for this push to help them."
The backpacks will be distributed as quickly as possible to the children who didn't get one, as the start of school is just around the corner.
In the last 48 hours, Spitler has raised over $250 and the community has donated school supplies.