More Chatham-Kent (CK) families than ever have signed up to get a bit extra help ahead of the new school year.
FreeHelpCK will hand out backpacks full of school supplies starting this Saturday. Geri Ann Hughson, with the organization, explained that the initiative is especially needed as people everywhere continue to struggle with rising prices.
"I do think, especially with the cost of food, these are just little things... if we can give [families] a backpack with school supplies, that helps," Hughson said. "Maybe then they can focus on a new outfit for the kids, running shoes... there's still so much more that they need, besides that backpack, to go back to school."
With the need for help growing, this year's goal was to fill 3,000 backpacks.
"A lot of businesses donated [supplies], or they donated money, and we went out shopping," explained Hughson. "Our goal was only going to be 2,000, but then we had a sponsor donate quite a few backpacks to us, so that's why we put the goal higher. Even with that, we have a small wait list if someone doesn't pick up their backpacks."
For the 2024 school year, FreeHelpCK handed out 1,806 backpacks.
Inside each bag, students will find supplies specific to their school and grade, and this year, there will be a little something extra.
"We do 'sock-tober' and there are a bunch of socks left, they're kids' socks, so we're going to allow the kids to pick out a couple of pairs of socks to be put in their backpacks," Hughson said. She added that some supplies, such as 1" binders, were harder to come by, so some of the backpacks will also include a $10 gift card to purchase extra supplies.
The scheduled pick-ups are in four locations, starting on Saturday and going through to next Wednesday.
• Chatham - Saturday, August 23, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. - Downtown Chatham Centre (100 King Street, FreeHelpCK store)
• Tilbury - Monday, August 25, 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. - CSN Tilbury (151 Queen Street South)
• Wallaceburg - Tuesday, August 26, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. - CSN Holmes (720 Gillard Street)
• Ridgetown - Wednesday, August 27, 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. - Ridgetown Legion Hall (75 Main Street East)
Parents or guardians are reminded to bring their child's or children's health card and their ticket to their registered pickup location.
Also on offer this year are free back-to-school photos and coupons for haircuts.
"They were donated to us," Hughson shared. "So we have 50 free haircuts for kids, which we'll be handing out when they pick out their backpacks. It's just little things that we can add."
Hughson said that FreeHelpCK's next significant initiative is the Adopt-a-Senior program, which is a Christmas program for local seniors who live on their own, with no family close by.
"On Christmas Eve, we make homemade meals, a turkey dinner, and have little assigned gifts for each senior living alone," she said.
The program sees volunteers pick angels from Angel Trees located throughout Chatham-Kent.
"They'll pick an angel, and on that angel will say what that senior needs," Hughson explained, adding that there are usually between 400 and 500 seniors who take part.
"It's my second favourite program," she admitted.