In 2012, the Union Baptist Association started the Backpack Assistance Ministry (B.A.M.) Program, taking it on from the local school districts because grant money had been discontinued. The mission was to make Jesus known to the families in the community by distributing nearly 2,000 backpacks stuffed with school supplies, Bible, United States Consitution, and more. Doug Benningfield, pastor of Hickory Valley Baptist Church, contacted Carleen Benson and asked if she was interested in coordinating the program.... and the rest is history. Carleen was the B.A.M Coordinator for the last 10 years. Carleen is now a Director at the YMCA and is looking to serve in other avenues. She has facilitated a passing of the torch, handing off the B.A.M Program to the YMCA!
It will take all of us working together to pull this event off! The support from Carleen and the Union Baptist Association has truly been a blessing. We will work to ensure all area churches continue to work together in unity and purely work together as servants of Christ. The Y will work to glorify God and make Jesus known by serving the youth in our community, just as it was the original mission of the program years ago.
If you have not witnessed this event, you are missing out on one of God's intersections.
White County High School
267 Allen Drive
Sparta, TN 38583
Saturday, July 26th, 2025 • 9AM
K-12 Students of White County and Van Buren County Schools
FREE
Volunteers are needed to pack bags on Friday, July 25th at 10AM inside the YMCA!
Donate directly to the B.A.M. Program here!
For additional information, email our Program Director at gin@spartaymca.org.