BRADFORD, PA/OLEAN, NY – Employees of Upper Allegheny Health System (UAHS), parent company of Bradford Regional Medical Center (BRMC) and Olean General Hospital (OGH), packed 500 backpacks with a variety of school supplies which will benefit area elementary students for this school year.

The donated backpacks were distributed to students who might otherwise go without necessary school supplies. The program is celebrating its 13th year, which benefits students in George G. Blaisdell, School Street, and Bradford Area Christian Academy schools in Bradford, Smethport, and Otto-Eldred schools in Pennsylvania; East View and Washington West schools in Olean, as well as Cuba-Rushford, Delevan, Friendship, Hinsdale, and Salamanca schools in New York. Students receiving the backpacks will find items such as pencils, erasers, scissors, paper, crayons, rulers, glue sticks, and folders to start the school year. All items were donated by UAHS employees.

The backpack program is part of the hospitals’ community connections initiative, a program where employees volunteer their time to educate the community on a variety of health and wellness issues to promote healthier lifestyles and address community health, safety, and social needs in the hospitals’ service areas.