Back-to-school supply assistance programs help Spokane families prepare for August start

SPOKANE, Wash. — With roughly a month remaining before students return to classrooms, local organizations are stepping up to help families manage the financial strain of purchasing back-to-school supplies.

Several Spokane County nonprofits have launched initiatives designed to reduce the burden on parents and guardians who are already stretching their budgets to cover essential expenses like groceries, utilities and rent.

Spokane Neighborhood Action Partners, known as SNAP, is hosting its annual Resource Carnival this Saturday at Mission Park. The event will provide free school supplies, haircuts and other resources to help students start the school year with confidence.

“The confidence of starting the school year on the right note is critical,” said Nicole Bishop, SNAP’s philanthropy manager. “Whether it’s you having a nice backpack that you know isn’t going to tear in two minutes, whether it’s having a crisp haircut, all of those things give you the confidence that you are ready to start the school year, that way you are not self conscious, you are not trying to hide, you can show up and now you are ready to learn.”

Bishop emphasized that the financial relief extends beyond school supplies. “Right now, we know that everyone is hurting financially, so this gives us a chance to help them save a dollar here, a dollar there on school supplies, on back to school haircuts,” she said. “That’s one more dollar that they can spend on other essential needs, whether it’s groceries, or gas, or their mortgage or rent.”

Art Salvage, located in central Spokane, has partnered with the Spokane Regional Waste Ambassadors to collect new and lightly used school materials throughout the summer. The initiative ensures that both students and teachers have the resources they need when classes resume on August 26.

“We just feel like there is such a need for families to have school supplies or teachers to have materials, and teachers are helping those students, so we just want to help make those connections,” said Katie Patterson-Larson, Art Salvage’s executive director.

You can find a comprehensive list of local events and supply distribution opportunities throughout Spokane County here.