Free backpack giveaways coming up in the Southern Tier

SOUTHERN TIER, N.Y. ( WETM ) — Southern Tier parents can save some money on school supplies this year by going to free backpack giveaways.

Verizon TCC and Wireless Zone stores across the country are holding the 12th Annual School Rocks Backpack Giveaway event. More than 1,000 stores, including several in the Southern Tier, are inviting families to come and get a free backpack for each of their children at 1 p.m. on Sunday, July 28 while supplies last. Kids must be present to get a backpack. Any extra backpacks will be donated to local school districts.

Round Room, TCC and Wireless Zone’s parent company, says that it does this giveaway every year because backpacks are one of the most expensive school supplies, and it wants to help ease some of the back-to-school season’s financial burden on families. The company expects to give about $3 million worth of backpacks to more than 120,000 kids during this year’s event.

“Our corporate team, store owners, and store employees work hard to make this happen every year because they genuinely want to make a profound impact,” said Round Room CEO Scott Moorehead. “They want to help ensure every student has the basic tools they need to start the school year off on the right foot.”

Southern Tier retailers participating in the giveaway are listed below:

• Bath: 353 W. Morris St.
• Corning: 48 E. Market St.
• Elmira: 1100 Clemens Center Parkway Suite A (Wegmans Plaza)
• Hornell: 1000 State Route 36 Suite 7 (Hornell Plaza)
• Hornell: 37 Main St.
• Painted Post: 3135 Silverback Lane Suite 102

The School Rock Backpack Giveaway has provided more than 1.3 million children with backpacks since the event started in 2013.

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