It’s just about that time again. Time to start thinking about heading back to school.
From pens, pencils and notebooks, to rulers, erasers and that fancy calculator — returning to the classroom comes with a familiar list of needs for your smallest students. It might even be growing. So time is also nearing to go out for those items you couldn’t fish out from drawers or recover in old backpacks.
Shopping for such school supplies can get expensive. In fact, households are projected to spend some $890 this back-to-school season, as previously reported by USA TODAY. That would take a chunk out of anyone’s budget, while overall spending is expected to surpass $135 billion, a more than $24 billion increase over last year.
Doors are opening for many districts the last week in August or the first in September. For families worried about their bottom line for back-to-school shopping, we looked to map out some organizations and opportunities for free supplies in Delaware.
[Have another school supply drive or event families should know about? Please share it with us: kepowers@gannett.com]
Service organizations partner to offer backpacks, school supplies
Two back-to-school resource fairs and book-bag giveaways are on-deck this month in partnership with United Way of Delaware, Delaware Libraries and more. Both events are open to all Delawareans:
- Noon to 2 p.m., Aug. 12 — Dover Library
- 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Aug. 26 — North Wilmington Library
“We really try to make these family friendly,” said United Way’s Ken Livingston, adding his ultimate goal remains to empower parents. The “Get Delaware Reading” director noted games, live music, community resource and parent engagement tables will join the resource fairs.
Families should register to attend by dialing 211, pressing option 4 to register. They can also call for more information on this and other resource events coming across the state.
- Global CDC is hosting its fifth-annual Back to School Fair & Community Pop-up Shop, from 12 to 4 p.m., this Saturday, Aug. 5. Free school supplies, clothing, food and vendors are expected at the 4112 N. Market St. location in Wilmington.
- Down in Georgetown, First State Community Action Agency is also hosting a Community Awareness Day at the Presbyterian Church of Georgetown. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Aug. 5, this family event hopes to provide a number of resources.
- Also in Georgetown, Perdue is hosting a drive-thru job fair and backpack giveaway from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Aug. 5 at its 20621 Savannah Rd. site — fit with bags for students, free lunch and information on employment opportunities.
- Wilmington’s Sunday Breakfast Mission, a shelter and service organization, is hosting a back-to-school rally at 10 a.m. on Aug. 12 at 110 N. Poplar St. Backpacks filled with school supplies will be given to families, while free dental screenings are also offered. Children must be accompanied by a parent, though no pre-registration is required.
- Also 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Aug. 12, Delcare Health Solutions LLC is hosting an open house and book bag giveaway — paired alongside resource tables, health insurance information, free health screenings, food and more at 2801 Lancaster Ave in Wilmington.
- Back in Sussex County, students in the Laurel area can expect a “Back-to-School Jamboree” from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. onAug. 12. Registration is now online, while free filled backpacks, music, food games and more are set to fill Janosik Park that Saturday.
- Come Aug. 19, from 1 to 4 p.m., a “Dress for Success” back-to-school giveaway will focus on providing free school uniforms in Wilmington. Families must be pre-registered by Aug. 6 and students must be present to pickup at 500 Concord Ave, according to host Victorious Faith Christian Worship Center. Donations are also still being sought.
- The Cameron D. Hamlin Foundation is also hosting a book bag giveaway from 12 p.m. to supplies run out on Sunday, Aug. 20. The foundation hopes to see folks donate, attend and volunteer for the event at 3500 Lancaster Pike in Wilmington.
The Salvation Army of Delaware doesn’t have a specific school supply drive this year, a member told Delaware Online/The News Journal over the phone, but it hopes to field enough donations to assist families who call in for help.
Still in early August, donations have yet to heat up.
Back to school 2023Could this be the most expensive school year ever? Maybe.
More: On the search for free school supplies in Delaware
Another place to consider contacting about free or discounted school supplies is your student’s school. Some districts may already have drives for families in need, while others could likely direct you to local programs.
One example comes from the Brandywine YMCA, beginning a school supply drive that will stretch throughout August in New Castle County, gathering donations to provide to Brandywine School District families.
The drive runs Aug. 7 to 31, with distribution eyed for the first week in September.
Gathered supplies will also head to the greater YMCA of Delaware’s “Y Mission Market,” a free store for community members in need, housed at Central YMCA in Wilmington. The market features shelf-stable food, clothes and more, according to Julie Burns, senior director of marketing and communications. While the organization has been struggling with school-supply donations as of late, there’s hope Brandywine’s drive and other pledges will boost coffers ahead of this academic year.
Still in New Castle County, Colonial School District is just one Delaware system looking to provide students with their supplies. Optional lists are given to families, but “they do not have to encumber the expense of basic items like binders, notebooks, paper, pens, etc.,” a district spokesperson said.
Some individual schools also have their own events.
This Saturday, Aug 5, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Pleasantville Elementary School will host a Community Day event with WePrevail, a community development corporation. There should be music, food, grocery gift cards, backpacks stuffed with school supplies and more, while supplies last. Word is, Principal Renee Griffith might be up for the dunk tank as well.
William Penn High School is hosting a sneaker giveaway and back-to-school empowerment session from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Aug. 19 — set to include 100 Kool Kolored Kid Generation sneakers, music, resources and more. Supplies are limited, so Colonial students must register to be up for any sneakers. Vendors and community resources are open to all.
The following week, Colonial’s Castle Hills Elementary School is hosting a Back-to-School BBQ from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 24. Joining the eats will be free haircuts for students and some 250 bookbags, according to the district, donated by Communities In Schools and the family of the late Arlene Hollis.
Back down in Sussex County, Indian River School District also hopes to provide school supplies for its students.
A supply drive, in partnership with Forever Media/Delmarva, hopes to continue collecting school wares this summer to distribute to individual schools. And later this month, the district’s “Back to School Event” aims to jumpstart the school year with free food, school supplies and assistance with community resources direct to families.
This event at Dickerson Chapel A. M. E. Church will run from 4 to 7 p.m. on Aug. 23, with giveaways while supplies last.
This is not an exhaustive list. Look out for more schools or organizations that may have events planned across the state.
[Have another supply drive or event families should know about? Please share it with us: kepowers@gannett.com]
More national focuses on school supplies
Kelly Powers covers race, culture and equity for the USA TODAY Network’s Northeast Region and Delaware Online, with a focus on education. Contact her at kepowers@gannett.com or (231) 622-2191, and follow her on Twitter @kpowers01.
