Projects of Pasco has joined forces with Barnes & Noble bookstore at The Shops of Wiregrass to give children in need a better start to the school year.

Throughout the summer, Barnes & Noble customers can buy items to donate to the store's backpack supply drive. The items will go to Projects of Pasco, a nonprofit east Pasco organization that donates backpacks filled with school supplies to children in need in east and central Pasco.

"They will fill backpacks that will be distributed before school begins so these kids will go to school with the supplies they need the first day," said Cynthia Mason, community relations manager of Barnes & Noble at The Shops of Wiregrass.

Expected donations include Spanish-to-English dictionaries and flashcards that help with FCAT, numeral, alphabet and other studies, but customers also are encouraged to buy journals and other school supplies to donate. The backpacks typically contain notebooks, paper, pencils, pencil boxes, calculators and other supplies.

"Preferably anything small enough to fit in a backpack," Mason said.

The backpack supply drive got started with the help of Bob Loring, executive director of East Pasco Toys for Tots.

"When Barnes & Noble came to town they got in touch with me, wanting to partner with somebody to do something for the community," Loring said.

His organization also partnered with the bookstore for a holiday event that collected 2,000 children's books for Toys for Tots. It's through East Pasco Toys for Tots that children in need are identified for the backpack program.

"These kids need toys at Christmas, but usually they need so much more," Loring said. "So when parents come in to get toys at Christmas, we ask them if they need school supplies as well. Most say yes."

The backpacks are distributed the week before school starts. "Barnes & Noble is such a refreshing development in the community, with their interest in children and literacy," Loring said.

For information about the backpack supply drive, visit the bookstore or call (813) 973-2833.