Sylvia Montoya’s voice trembled with emotion when she described how Inter-Faith Community Service stepped up so her children could start school on the right foot by providing each of them a new backpack and the necessary school supplies.

“I have always been able to provide for my three girls but my hours were cut in half and I just couldn’t afford school supplies,” the Englewood woman said. “My youngest daughter told me to check with Inter-Faith. I called and they told me to come right over.”

She said the people at Inter-Faith greeted her warmly and, in a few minutes, her girls had new backpacks. The pack for each girl contained the supplies detailed on that student’s list.

“I am so grateful,” Montoya said. “It’s wonderful how Inter-Faith stepped in to help us. I can’t thank them enough.”

The Montoya girls are among more than 1,000 students who have received backpacks and school supplies from Inter-Faith.

The first 698 were part of an annual Inter-Faith program called Ready, Set, School. Those students were signed up and sponsors provided each child with a back pack, school supplies, a new outfit and a gift card for a new pair of shoes.

Maria Pearson, Inter-Faith community relations director, said she was surprised how many people stepped up as sponsors and make it possible to provide the backpack, clothes and school supplies to all the children on the list.

But the need didn’t stop there.

“Distribution day was Aug. 3 but, even before we held distribution, we had more requests,” Pearson said. “So, we began seeking additional donations of backpacks and supplies so we wouldn’t have to turn those kids away empty handed.”

Pearson said many of the children were referred to Inter-Faith by teachers and, since Aug. 3, about 200 additional children a week are given the backpacks and school supplies.

“We are still looking for donations because kids are still coming in almost daily,” she said.

She said many stores are holding sales on school supplies and about $30 would by the backpack and school supplies for an elementary school student. The donations for a middle school student would cost about $60 and it would cost about $70 for a backpack and supplies for a high school student. People who don’t have time to do the shopping can make cash donations and Inter-Faith volunteers will buy the supplies, Pearson said.

A list of supplies is on the Web site at www.ifcs.org.