Mom explains why she buys $5 backpacks in bulk at the start of every school year — and it's a blessing for teachers

A mother has built a back-to-school tradition that is rooted in kindness. Mandi, who goes by @whatmandi6 on Instagram, posted a video explaining how she picks up a bunch of $5 backpacks from Target or Walmart, fills them with staples, notebooks, pencils, tissues, and wipes, and drops them off in her children’s classrooms. In a video that got over 270,000 views and over 12,000 likes, Mandi explained, "Every single year I come here, I get a couple of five-dollar backpacks and I pack them with the same exact supplies that are for each one of my kids’ classes. And I take them and I drop them off in their class without saying a single word other than if a student walks in without a backpack and supplies, please give them this."

For her, it’s never been about recognition, but about ensuring no child feels left out. "If you’re able to do it and you don’t, shame on you. If you’re not able to do it, that’s okay, too," she said, acknowledging that many families struggle just to cover the basics. "Complaining about the amount of supplies teachers are asking for is absurd to me. If you’re strapped and you’re struggling to get the supplies that are on a very basic list, I completely get it. But if you’re not and you have the means to, why would you not help out kids?" she said. This gesture carries extra weight in the bigger picture. Research shows 16 million children still start the school year without basic supplies. That means roughly 1 in 4 students in the US begin the school year without the supplies they need. The lack not only affects academic performance but also chips away at self-esteem and can even contribute to higher absenteeism.

Mandi explained that her children join in packing the backpacks each year, and she hopes they carry those lessons forward. "Empathy, gratitude, kindness. Being kind is far more important than any 'thing' you’ll ever have, and I really hope they always remember that. Do what you can, where you can," she shared in the caption. The post has struck a chord with many viewers, who commended Mandi for such an empathetic gesture. @megddon wrote, "As a teacher, thank you!! We can anticipate the need, but we never exactly know how many students will need supplies."

@pink_berrysweet shared her own experience: "I did this year and I bought three backpacks. Lo and behold, my kids told me that there were students who didn’t even have pencils. My daughter gave a girl a whole backpack, and she was so appreciative." @erin.hassey added, "That’s amazing! This is the kind of community we need. Please bring what you can and if you can help others, it’s amazing! The bashing of supply lists is so awful right now. I promise we'll think through everything on the list." @loobyloukowalski noted, "That’s so sweet of you. As a UK citizen, I do find it slightly crazy that you need to supply school supplies. Here we don’t even send them in with a pen until senior school, but well done."

You can follow Mandi (@whatmandi6) on Instagram for more daily-life content.

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