Caring community and collaboration

Family Back2School Project serves area students

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BROOKINGS – After nearly a decade and a half, the Family Back2School Project continues to show Brookings at its best as a caring community. On Aug. 12, more than 532 pre-registered and 35 walk-in junior K-12 students living in Brookings County walked through the doors of Faith Reformed Church. They left outfitted – for free – with the school supplies needed for heading into the classroom later this fall. Also given out were dental care kits and hygiene products. The students came from the Brookings, Deubrook, Elkton and Sioux Valley school districts.

Every pre-registered child was given a backpack, a $25 gift card for Shoe Sensations to help cover the cost of a new pair shoes and assigned a “personal shopper” to help them select all the supplies appropriate to their grade and school. And throughout the day, from late morning until about 8 p.m., free meals were served to attendees.  

Carleen Holm, a committee member working on the project, said she had seen information noting that it costs about $80 to $100 to outfit a child with school supplies every year.

Several other agencies that provide resources and assistance to parents and their families, such as Brookings Area Transit Authority, Head Start and Feeding Brookings, provided information.

Holm noted that the project went forward even during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. “We did. We had it outside. Drive through. It was wonderful. We’ve always kept it here at the church.”

The Back2School Project receives grants and monetary donations from the community. Totes were also placed at a variety of spots around the local area where people could drop off needed supplies. 

“Now what we’ve really done, the past three or four years, we got very strategic,” Holm explained. “Money helps, because we buy all the needed supplies ahead of time, so we know exactly what these 532 pre-registered kids needs. They come and we have items for them.

“We try to support our local businesses. But supply chain issues can be a challenge, ensuring needed supplies are procured in a timely manner.”

Size of the students can be a challenge when it comes to the backpacks. 

“The Salvation Army donates backpacks,” Holm said. “They’re wonderful backpacks, but the high school kids get bigger backpacks. And we had some people who just donated a bunch of backpacks.”

“Brookings does this project very well,” Holm said. 

She admitted she’s proud of the community collaboration and caring of so many local groups and individuals that make a project of this magnitude possible. 

“Our children are starting off to school with joy and gratitude in their hearts.”

Contact John Kubal at jkubal@brookingsregister.com.