Thousands of backpacks to be handed out at schools in Milwaukee, Waukesha Counties

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- They're accustomed to working with power tools and heavy equipment, but on Tuesday, Aug. 1, members of the Milwaukee Building-Construction Trades Council spent their morning loading and delivering school backpacks. 

The council is working with United Way to hand out more than 4,000 backpacks at 11 schools in Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties -- and it's not just backpacks, each one is filled with supplies for a new school year. 

"This is an impact day. This is gonna change the lives of some young students. We'll only remember this for a few hours, they may remember it for a lifetime," said Dan Bukiewicz, president of Milwaukee Building-Costruction Trades Council. 

A United Way spokesperson says the average cost of school supplies is over $600 per student, so the backpack deliveries can help ease that financial burden for families.