The main initiative that encouraged the forming of the Committee was the NWT Literacy Council Family Learning Kit Backpack project. This initiative provided backpacks to children born in 1997/98/99. This project could financially benefit an individual or group. Delivering the backpacks to the children and parents in Inuvik generated $4,000. The participants discussed the idea and set forth to form a committee and distribute the backpacks on a volunteer basis and the funds generated by the volunteer work would go back into the community for purchasing more books, snacks or prizes for literacy projects in Inuvik.