Back 2 School event expected to help hundreds of families

The community has rallied once again to send kids back to school prepared and happy.

Donations have flooded into Catholic Charities and the Salvation Army, as the Back 2 School distribution event runs from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday at the La Crosse Center.

Lori Morton-Lockley with Mid-West Family Broadcasting, which helped organize the event, expects 1,000 kids to get supplies, another 500 to get new outfits and 400 more will get haircuts.

“It’s going to be a really busy, really fun day,” she said. “I am just overwhelmingly impressed with the commitment that people have to making sure that kids are prepared to start their new year in a really good way.”

Morton-Lockley described how kids will come in and pick out their new backpacks or outfits. A thrill for them, since it’s something they don’t often get to do, but also a thrill for parents, who see the smiles on their faces.

“They’re so fired up and the the parents are grateful,” she said. “It’s expensive. I’m a mom. I know what it costs to send kids to school. This is helpful.”

The biggest donation still needed is clear or mesh backpacks. Those would accommodate a new policy at Central High School.

“That is a challenge, only because it wasn’t something we anticipated when we put the plan together this year,” Morton-Lockley said. “We’re looking for donations of those, as well.

“And that’s going to be a big deal for the kids that are going into Central High School, where this hasn’t been a rule before.”

Morton-Lockley says they are also looking for extra binders.

For more information go to the Catholic Charities website here.