LIST: How to get or donate back-to-school supplies in East Texas

TYLER, Texas ( KETK ) – School season is almost upon us and there are several back-to-school supply drives happening across the area that are looking for help and willing to give it.

A study from Deloitte showed that on average families spend $582 per child on back-to-school supplies.

“School supplies are a necessity” said LaToyia Jordan with Love Thy City. “Not one organization can fill that void or that need it does take the community to come together and host back to school drives.”

KETK has put together the following list of school supply drives that are giving away school supplies and are accepting donations or volunteers:

Henderson

• Henderson ISD is hosting their annual Yates Park Curbside School Supply Drive on Aug. 9 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. They’ll have free supplies to give away to children and adults in vehicles and no registration is required.
• The Seventh Day Adventist Church of Henderson is having a free backpack giveaway on Saturday, Sept. 20 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. They have 50 backpacks to giveaway with supplies for students from first to twelfth grade.

Kilgore

• Fun Zone Kilgore will hold their Back to School Bash 2024 on July 27 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at 300 Harris St. Suite C-3. They’re accepting donations of supplies and money. The bash will have food, games and a supply giveaway.

Longview

• JJO Radio is accepting donations and volunteers for their annual Stuff the Bus school supply and food drive in the parking lot of the Walmart at 2240 Gilmer Rd. from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. until July 22. Volunteers who serve for four hours will get a ticket to Six Flags Over Texas and a free meal.
• Kroger is hosting their annual Backpack Boosters school supply drive from July 10 to July 23. They plan to help 26,000 students by raising $260,000 from customers.

Tyler

• Love Thy City will be held in Tyler on Saturday, July 20 at the W.T Brookshire Conference Center from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. The event will have backpacks, school supplies, groceries, counseling, physicals and immunizations all for free. They’re also taking donations and looking for volunteers.
• The city of Tyler’s 11th annual Scho o l is Cool event is being held at the W.T. Brookshire Conference Center on Aug. 1. In 2023, they gave away nearly 2,000 backpacks.

Email KETK at tips@ketk.com to let us know of any other school supply drives around East Texas.

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