Rising prices are hitting parents hard this back-to-school season, prompting the city of Clearwater and community partners to step up with free backpack and supply giveaways ahead of the new school year.
According to data from The Century Foundation and Groundwork Collaborative, families will pay significantly more for basic supplies than they did last year, including a 27% increase for lunch items, 23% for notebooks, 22% for index cards, 14% for scissors and 5% for crayons.
Shekina Walker, a single mother of three, said the rising costs have made preparing her children for school increasingly difficult. She said the cost of living has climbed while wages have not kept pace.
To help offset those costs, North Greenwood Recreation Center and its partners are distributing 500 donated backpacks filled with school supplies for students ranging from kindergarten through college. Some giveaway sites will also offer immunizations, on-site nurses and other community resources.
Johnareus Young, education liaison with North Greenwood Rec Center, said the goal is to lighten the load for families during a financially stressful time of year. Organizers have structured the events like a shopping experience, allowing younger students to select their own backpacks before moving through stations for grade-specific school supplies.
Walker said she values the exposure the events give her children, adding that it helps them build a sense of identity and pride heading into the new school year.
Two giveaway events are scheduled in Clearwater:
- July 31 — Ross Norton Recreation Center, 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- August 1 — North Greenwood Recreation Center, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
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