Meet the 10-year-old who donated 1,000 backpacks to Flint students
Meet the 10-year-old who donated 1,000 backpacks to Flint students:- Amariyanna “Mari” Copeny may only be 10 years old, but she’s already earned the nickname “Little Miss Flint” for the charity work she’s done around the city.
Copeny’s latest project involves making sure her fellow students in Flint, Michigan, can be prepared as they return to school.
Thanks to a partnership with non-profit organization Pack Your Back, which was started in May 2016 by students at Central Michigan University, Copeny launched her own challenge on July 28.
She raised enough money to fill 1,000 backpacks along with another $10,000 in donations.
It was the second time Copeny had raised funds to purchase backpacks for Flint students. Last year, she only had enough money to give away 100 backpacks.
Copeny’s mother Loui Brezzell told ABC News her daughter was sad that not every student could be helped, so “she was determined to get more backpacks this year.”
The goodies were handed out to excited students last Sunday inside Mott Community College.
The backpacks included “everything you need to go back to school,” Brezzell said. “Backpacks, pencils, pens, markers, crayons, notebooks, highlighters and books.”
Brezzell, 28, said it’s no surprise that her daughter has a reputation for her charity work, as she was raised “around giving.”
“She knows that it’s best to give to other people who are unfortunate,” she continued. “It’s become second nature to her.”
Galen Miller, founder of Pack Your Back, said the partnership was effortless.
“Mari’s been great,” he added. “They do an amazing job.”
Copeny’s mother said her daughter “loves Flint and loves the kids.” She thought it was important to help, especially since some children will be going back to school while the city continues to deal with the effects of the water crisis.
“Education is important, especially when dealing with the Flint water crisis and the effects from that. You want to make sure these kids have the best possible start that they can have,” Brezzell added.
