GLENDALE, AZ — Families across the Valley are preparing to go back to school next week. Another added expense during these times: school supplies.
Stonepoint Community Church in Glendale stepped up to give away more than a thousand backpacks stuffed with school supplies for families in need. After an hour of the event starting, more than 300 kids had received backpacks already.
This is the second weekend the church gave away supplies. During its first, it planned to only give 200 of them, but then quickly went over 300. The church said it also had to turn people away last weekend.
“The reality is we didn’t know how bad. It was really shocking to us,” Pastor Gene Herndon said of the need in the community.
The backpacks lift a weight off the shoulders of some parents like Marie Ozuna. She has three kids, is a single mom, and says she was formerly homeless with her kids. She said two of her children have autism, which brings on added expenses.
“It's just a very big, helpful thing to me,” Ozuna said emotionally.
To have someone help with just one expense when prices on goods are high right now, it means a lot to families. Some got in line early in the morning before 8 a.m. when the giveaway started.
“Just a pen and a paper can do so much for somebody, especially if they’re going through a rough time,” said Jasmine Cee, another mom who picked up backpacks for her kids.
Some families even need to make difficult decisions on what to buy right now, Herndon said. One mother last weekend told him it was between buying school supplies or getting her son a haircut to get ready for school.
“People should not have to make a decision about their life choosing backpacks over necessities,” Herndon said. “That’s it for us. We want to be a resource to this community. We’re here for a reason. That’s why God put us here. That’s the whole purpose behind us.”
“It’s just an extra help, and it’s a miracle and a big blessing,” Ozuna added.
The church ended up giving away 874 backpacks to the Glendale community Saturday morning. It plans to give the rest of the supplies to schools.