LEXINGTON, Ky. — It’s just a few weeks until the start of school for students in Fayette County.

The Carnegie Center for Literacy & Learning held its annual Back to School Bash on Saturday.

What You Need To Know

  • The Carnegie Center for Literacy & Learning holds a Back to School Bash every year, where backpacks with school supplies are given out

  • Two hundred backpacks were given to families with children in school. The center ran out shortly after the event began

  • Families are having to prioritize what school supplies they buy for their children due to inflation

  • Back to School rallies will be held on Aug. 5, which will have different locations set up to hand out more backpacks with school supplies

Hundreds of kids attended the event to grab a backpack with school supplies and participate in several activities. Lunch was served, games were played and balloon animals were made.

“It’s just kind of a way to get the community out and enjoying an event, you know, for the kids but also get some free school supplies while they’re at it,” said Marissa Cremeans, a director at the Carnegie Center.

There were 200 backpacks to be given away and all of them were gone shortly after the event kicked off. This goes to show the need for help to get school supplies, which can be pricey.

Consumers are expected to spend 10% less on school supplies this year, with families prioritizing necessities because of inflation, according to Reuters.

“For a family to come in and be able to get a backpack that’s already filled with school supplies and books, might be the difference between them being able to, like, get all of their groceries for the week,” said Erica Cook, another director with the Carnegie Center.

If you missed out on the chance to grab a backpack today, there will be several Back to School Rallies on Aug. 5 with different locations giving out backpacks filled with school supplies.

School starts for Fayette County Public Schools on Wednesday, Aug. 16.

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