NEW YORK - Back-to-school season is upon us already, and an annual campaign is looking to make sure needy students in the city have what they need to succeed.

Last year, "Operation Backpack" outfitted nearly 19,000 students living in city shelters.

Now 'sort week' is underway, when volunteers fill backpacks with notebooks, pencils, and other essential tools for school.

Organizers say helping a child feel normal for the first day can set them on a path to success.

"A kid is going to have that backpack and open it up, and go through it with such great joy. It's just going to change the whole idea for school this year," said the program's founder, Rachel Weinstein.

To learn more about volunteering or making a donation, check out operationbackpacknyc.org.