Over 200 kids received school supplies at BCS Together’s Back to School Bash
BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – BCS Together held their 2024 Back to School Bash Saturday morning.
About 200 kids connected to the foster care or adoption community received brand-new school supplies and clothes for the upcoming school year.
BCS Together also offered free vision testing for the kids in attendance.
Julia Shaw, the Closet Manager with BCS Together, says school supplies are expensive and not always easily attainable for every family.
Shaw told KBTX that this event relieves a huge financial burden for the families and kids connected to the foster care or adoption community.
“Families that we serve are oftentimes just in need, some of them are in poverty, and they just have a high need for tangible items,” said Shaw. “It is a huge, huge financial burden for them to take on when they are bringing in new children into their homes.”
Brian Linder with Ray of Hope, one of the sponsors for the event, says even gifting the kids something as simple as shoes makes them feel confident as they walk down school halls.
“Everyone wants to feel proud of their shoes when they start school, school is kind of one of those things that on the first day of school you want to be proud of the shoes that you wear,” said Linder. “Out of the 222 kids that came through today, they all have a brand new pair of shoes, nice shoes, that they can be proud of that can hopefully get them through Christmas.”
Volunteer Taylor Whittlesey said the best part about the event was seeing the kids’ reactions when they received the supplies.
“They were so excited and it was stuff like pencils and markers and they were thrilled to be able to put that in their new backpacks,” said Whittlesey.
The event was made possible with the community’s support and donations.
BCS Together will continue to support the families and kids connected to the foster care or adoption community through their closet, where they give away free goods such as clothing, car seats, and other items.