Peoria Firefighter Charities is giving away backpacks filled with school supplies in a drive-thru giveaway at the Community Center parking lot from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 31.
Students must be present to receive a backpack and supplies are limited.
“The goal was to collect 500 backpacks with basic school supplies for any child in need in the Peoria Unified School District. So, (supplies) could be crayons, pencils, folders — the basics,” said Mark Barbee, spokesman for Peoria Firefighter Charities.
“We came together and thought about who in this school system needs the supplies, and a liaison from Peoria said, ‘Hey, I happen to work with foster and homeless kids in our system,’ and there’s about 200 to 250 families in that system, just for Peoria Unified School District.