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Charity Fills Backpacks With Supplies For CPS Students In Need

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A local charity is helping to ease the hardships some kids face as they prepare to head back to school.

The nonprofit, called 'Who Is Hussain?,' is providing a year's worth of school supplies to 1,200 Chicago Public Schools students.

On Sunday, dozens of volunteers showed up at Nicholson STEM Academy, at 6006 S. Peoria St. in the Englewood neighborhood, to fill backpacks with supplies including pencils, paper, calculators, and crayons.

"I like in some way to help the community; to try to give back – you know, as someone who's never had to struggle getting school supplies, it's very important that we try to give back to the community," a volunteer said.

This is the fourth year the group has stepped up to make sure students in underprivileged school districts have the tools they need in the classroom.

'Who Is Hussain?' was founded in London in 2012. It is named for Hussain ibn Ali, a 7th-century revolutionary leader who was known for breaking bread with the poor despite coming from a privileged background, and bringing people together.

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