Local entrepreneur Alicia Leckie has combined fashion with compassion by creating stylish backpacks that will help impoverished students get school supplies.
The backpacks are called Karma Pacs, launched this summer and focused on making a difference in the lives of less fortunate families all over B.C.
“We have always done our best to pay for less fortunate family’s school supplies through my local, family business, EduPac Services. The proceeds from the Karma Pacs will allow us to give back so much more,” said the 30-year-old Leckie.
“B.C.’s child poverty rate at 11.3 per cent is the highest in Canada. This means many students are sent to school without the tools they require to learn which puts them at a disadvantage to succeed in their education.”
While working at the family business EduPac Services, based out of Langley City, they work with schools across B.C. to supply all the required school supplies. In those conversations with principals and direct from parents, they hear about the need for help from families who are struggling.
“We have so many kids in need, I was looking for a way to give back more,” said Leckie.
“It actually was the Toms shoes that inspired the idea for the backpacks.”
For every pair of Toms shoes sold, a new pair of shoes are provided to a child in an impoverished country.
The name Karma seemed to fit perfectly combined with the ‘Pac’ part of the family business name EduPac Services.
The backpacks come in two different colours and designs, a black and white camo print and a purple pack with black Hamsa hands printed on it.
Leckie came up with a design, found a supplier and named it Karma Pacs.
“With the amount of money many families spend on back to school clothing and shoes, our hope is that a backpack priced at $49 will be a small financial impact to them with a much larger, positive social impact,” she said.
Right now, there is no shipping costs. The more they sell, the more they can give back.
The family business, EduPac Services has been around for 30 successful years. The concept is each school has a list of school supplies required. Instead of parents having to go out and shop for all the different supplies, they can buy those packs of supplies from EduPac Services which delivers to each school, ready for the first day back for students.
It takes the stress off parents who don’t have time or don’t want to shop for all the required supplies. They supply to all the private and Catholic schools, and various public schools around Metro Vancouver, as far as West Van.
EduPac Services also has a retail store at 506-20540 Duncan Way. The education superstore is geared for home schooling materials and lots of unique educational toys. The backpacks are available there as well. To learn more about the packs or to order, go to www.karmapac.ca.
