Five members of the Fencing Forward team, Oscar Chuang, Ramona Chuang, Ella Nguyen, John Ziegler, and Macie Chan, traded the strip for the packing line today, volunteering at Cradles to Crayons’ Backpack-A-Thon in Chicago.
Alongside dozens of other volunteers, the team spent the day packing school supplies into backpacks bound for local kids in need. Our five-person crew alone packed an impressive 900 backpacks, contributing to an event total of 3,000 backpacks packed and readied for delivery, giving thousands of children the tools they need to start the school year with confidence.
Fencing Forward’s relationship with Cradles to Crayons goes back to our 2024 post, “It’s about partnerships,” where we first highlighted their mission to provide children from birth through age 12 living in homeless or low-income situations with the essentials they need to thrive. Two years later, that partnership is still going strong, and our team keeps showing up.
Beyond the impressive numbers, the day was simply a lot of fun. Our fencers know a thing or two about teamwork, and it showed on the packing line, working side by side, keeping spirits high, and reminding themselves why service like this matters.
Why It Matters
At Fencing Forward, we believe in helping wherever we can, however we can. Not every act of giving back happens on a fencing strip, and today was a perfect example of that. A packed backpack might seem small, but for a child starting school with the right supplies, it can make all the difference.
Thank you to Cradles to Crayons for the opportunity, and to Oscar, Ramona, Ella, John, and Macie for representing Fencing Forward so well today. We’re proud of you, and we can’t wait for the next partnership event.