Houston-area community heroes step up to help with free school supplies
Local organizations are coming together to bring free school supplies to any student who needs them.
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- If you're a parent or student struggling to get school supplies for the new school year, you have a few options for help. Members of the community are stepping up to organize free school supply drives to ensure every student goes back to school prepared.
"The need is great," said Neekeita Fields, founder of Society of Champions Outreach, a program serving the Houston area.
Her organization has partnered with a few others to bring free school supplies to any student who needs them.
Their storage room is filled with notebooks, pencils, pens and 300 backpacks that will be handed out at an event on Saturday, Aug. 7 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Lent's Family Park - West. The park is located at 18103 Cypress Trace Road.
In addition to free supplies, there will be free food and COVID-19 vaccines available. Registration for the event is required. Visit the event's website for more information.
"We just give individuals that are in need school supplies," she said. "We even have individuals that come out and cut hair if they need haircuts."
Fields says volunteers and more sponsors are needed. Those interested should call (832) 668-9462.
The following weekend, on Aug. 14, Beastmode Training 365 and the non-profit All is Well Family are teaming up to host a back-to-school supply drive for any student in need. There will be supplies for elementary, middle and high school students.
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"I know what it looks like at the beginning of the school year," said Charles Brown, owner of Beastmode Training 365. "You're trying to find a way to do what you have to do and you have three or four kids and they all need supplies."
Brown has worked in Aldine Independent School District for more than two decades and has seen first-hand how students struggle to get basic supplies.
The partnership with All is Well Family happened when founder Candice Nellum became a client of Brown's, and both wanted to do something to help students in the community.
Their event will be a drive-thru from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 14 at Beastmode Training 365, located at 6010 N. Sam Houston Pkwy East, #702.
No registration is required, but all students in need of supplies must be present inside of the car.
Harris County Health will also be present to hand out masks and provide COVID-19 vaccines.
"Walmart has partnered with us, so they're making sure we have all the school supplies and everything we need," Nellum said.
There are more back-to-school events planned across Houston in the coming days. Click here for a complete list.
And don't forget, you can still help children across the Houston area get much-needed school supplies and backpacks.
You can donate online to the 2021 YMCA Operation Backpack campaign now through Aug. 6, which is also the virtual day of giving. But that's not the only way you can help out.
You can also text YMCABACKPACK to 24365 to donate, make a donation through your local HEB either in-store or online and share the campaign with friends and family. All donations are tax deductible.
