MOBILE, Ala. — As Mobile County Public Schools students headed back to class, two local churches spent the final days of summer making sure families in need started the year supplied.
Pathway Church held its annual backpack giveaway, and demand hit a record: more than 900 families pre-registered. Volunteers filled 1,000 backpacks with school supplies, offered free haircuts, and sent each child home with an ice cream sandwich.
Kids coordinator Amber Sims said the turnout says a great deal about the community — both that the need is real, and that families are showing up to receive a helping hand. Lead Pastor Travis Johnson said his favorite part is watching young children wrestle with backpacks bigger than they are.
A second giveaway across town
Across town on Government Street, Outbreak Ministries paired a service with its own backpack giveaway. Minister Bryant Pugh said the ministry wanted to offer help and support as families continue struggling in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
With inflation driving up everyday costs, church leaders across Mobile County say the demand for school supplies has never been higher — and the giveaways are one way congregations can lighten the load for parents before the first bell rings.