Along with free notebooks, backpacks and pencils, organizations and philanthropists are helping parents prepare their children for the start of the 2025-26 school year – with complimentary haircuts, health screenings and more.
Florida’s back-to-school tax-free weeks will run throughout August, but classes start in Escambia County and Santa Rosa County public schools on Aug. 11. And if you’re shopping for one child or multiple children, school supplies can be costly.
Listed below are some of the local back-to-school supply giveaways – starting in about two weeks.
July Back-to-School Supply Giveaways
Devon Witherspoon Back-to-School Jamboree, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., July 12, Pine Forest High School, 2500 Longleaf Drive. Free backpacks and school supplies, food, games, music. Details: jessica.jefferson@winsg.com.
Community Vision: Back-to-School Summer Bash, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., July 19, Lexington Terrace Park, 900 S. Old Corry Field Road. Free school supplies, haircuts, hairstyles, games, giveaways, more. Details: www.pcsoutreach.org and pcsoutreachministries@yahoo.com.
August Back-to-School Supply Giveaways
Back to School Backpack Giveaway, 9 a.m.-noon, Aug. 2, Greater Gulf State Fairgrounds, 6655 Mobile Highway. Event includes free, backpacks, school supplies, haircuts, food/produce. Sponsored by Jubilee Church and Transformation Church.
Stuff the Backpack, 10 a.m., Aug. 2, Court of DeLuna, 116 E. Gonzalez St., Pensacola. Free backpacks, school supplies, food, community resources, activities. Sponsored by 2Wins, Lamplighters Inc., Kappa Alpha Psi and Casks and Flights. Preregister at www.StuffTheBackpack.org.
Back to School: Fuel Your Future, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Aug. 2, Florida Blue Center – Pensacola, 1680 Airport Blvd. Free backpacks, school supplies, community partners meet-and-greets, refreshments, music. Details: 850-202-4150 or www.FloridaBlue.com/Center.
9th Annual Back 2 School Giveaway and Health Fair, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Aug. 2, Fricker Community Center, 900 North F St.,. Free stuffed backpacks, food, games, health demonstrations, on-site testing, other giveaways. Sponsored by HYPE Pensacola and The Queen Up Foundations. Details: Shaun Hartsfield, HYPE Pensacola, at 850-382-4130 or Tuesday Knight, The Queen Up Foundation, at 850-619-4891.
Boots on the Ground Back to School Bash, noon, Aug. 2, Quintette Community Center, George Washington Lodge No. 15, 2490 Quintette Lane, Cantonment. Backpack giveaways, more, Details: Dorothy Moorer at 850-748-7124.
Back to School Expo, 2-6 p.m., Aug. 7, Century Agriculture Building, 6001-A Industrial Blvd., Century. Sponsored by CommUNITY Resource Council of Northwest Florida. Free school supplies, food, resources, giveaways, more.
Annual District 1 (Drive-Thru) Food Distribution and Backpack Giveaway sponsored by Rep. Michelle Salzman, FarmShare, community partners, 7:30 a.m., Aug. 9, Marcus Pointe Church, 6205 North W St. Food boxes, backpacks with school supplies, lunch boxes. Details: Jennifer Harrison at email Jennifer@GCPromo.com or 850-324-2744.
Kingdom Builders Christian Ministries International Community Outreach Event, 8 a.m.-1 p.m., Aug. 9, 8512 N. Palafox St. Free bookbags with school supplies, haircuts, foods, community partners, more. Details: www.kingdombuilderschristianministries.org or 850-912-8795.
Back to School Bash, 10 a.m.-noon, Aug. 9, Bellview Middle School, 6201 Mobile Highway, Pensacola. Free haircuts, sports physicals for Belleview students, food, community partners. Sponsored by Bellview Middle and Children’s Home Society of Florida. Details: Alana Black at alana.black@chsfl.org or 850-207-6660, Tomeisha Carter at tomeisha.carter@chsfl.org or 850-239-5045, Kelley Martinez at kelley.martinez@chsfl.org or 850-450-0243.
Is your organization providing free school supplies to students? Let us know so we can include your event. Email mmabins@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Free school supply giveaways make back to school easier. Here’s where to go locally
Reporting by Mary Lett, Pensacola News Journal / Pensacola News Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
