For many local families, back-to-school season can bring significant financial strain, making essential back-to-school supplies and resources feel out of reach. When kids don’t have what they need for school, it affects their confidence and their ability to study and learn. Thankfully, our health and human services sector is stepping up to bridge this gap, organizing a wide array of impactful events designed to ensure every student starts the academic year prepared and confident. From inspiring volunteer opportunities that directly support local children to convenient ways you can donate much-needed books and supplies, there are numerous avenues to make a tangible difference in our community and help set students up for success.
Action for Children
Back-to-School Family Fair
Saturday, August 23 | 11:00 am – 1:30 pm
Action for Children will be giving away free clothing, haircuts, and backpacks and have free community resources, activities, food, and more. To donate items such as sports balls, diapers, and school supplies, email Angela Daniels at adaniels@actionforchildren.org. Learn more about the event here.
Clintonville-Beechwold Community Resources Center
Back-to-School Drive
CRC’s Kinship Care program is seeking your support to ensure children in their care have a successful start to the new school year. You can make a difference by donating essential school supplies and gift cards for shoes to retailers like DSW, Famous Footwear, Walmart, or Target. Your generosity will help provide children with the tools they need to learn and thrive. For any questions or to arrange a drop-off, please contact jessica.smith@clintonvillecrc.org.
Central Community House
Back-to-School Supply Drive
Collecting now through August 6
Help Central Community House collect supplies for 300 backpacks by August 6. Your donations will support local students by making sure they head back to school fully prepared and confident. To donate supplies, you can utilize their Amazon Wish List or their Walmart Wish List.
Kaleidoscope Youth Center
Bar-B-Queer
Friday, August 15 | 4:00 – 7:00 pm
Bar-B-Queer is an annual back-to-school community event where youth can pick up free school supplies and backpacks and get connected to community partners, food, drinks, and games. New to Bar-B-Queer in 2025 is a book fair where young people can pick up LGBTQ+ inclusive books from local book vendors. All ages are welcome to attend, but free school supplies are first come, first served for ages 12-20. Click here to support the Bar-B-Queer.
Homeport
Book Drive
Early exposure to reading is crucial for success in school and beyond! Homeport created its book drive to address the reading gap, give kids access to more books to learn what kind of stories they like, and cultivate greater interest in reading. Through these combined efforts, and with the help of donors, we can get our community’s children reading at their appropriate level and finding success in school and beyond. Let’s work together to close the reading gap. You can help by contributing books form their Amazon Wish List, making a donation, or volunteering. Learn more here.
Home for Families
Back-to-School Supply Drive
Collecting now through Friday, August 8th
Help Columbus-area kids start the school year right by donating much needed school supplies! Through Friday, August 8th, Home for Families is accepting school supply donations to help the families they serve prepare for the new school year. Check out this link to learn more about needed supplies, drop-off information, and how to make a monetary donation.
Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services
Back-to-School Student Health Fair
Saturday, August 2 & Saturday, August 9 | 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
Kick off the school year with a healthy start—join ETSS at East High School for FREE essential health services for students, including vaccines, annual physicals, vision & hearing screenings, and TB testing. They will also be offering $50 gift cards per vaccinated child (while supplies last). Learn more about the event here.
Muslim Family Services of Ohio
School Supply Drive
August 1 – August 8
Please drop off donations between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm
4900 Reed Road, suite 102, Columbus, OH 43220
Your support of Muslim Family Services of Ohio’s supply drive will help prepare more than 200 children for another great school year across more than 7 school districts in Central Ohio. They are collecting markers, spiral notebooks, composition notebooks, notebook paper (both wide and college rule), plastic folders of all colors, colored pens and pencils, crayons, scissors, rulers, erasers, and scientific calculators.
NC4K
2025 Back-to-School Bash presented by Northwestern Mutual Columbus
Thursday, August 7 | 6:00 – 8:00 pm
The NC4K Back-to-School Bash provides school-aged childhood cancer patients and siblings with the supplies they need for the start of school. The event is filled with food, games, and activities to provide a welcoming community space and time to make memories as a family while preparing for the new year. There are a variety of ways you can support NC4K students by donating school supplies or backpacks, making a gift, or volunteering at the event. Learn more here.
Riverview International Center
Backpack Distribution
Sunday, August 17, 3:00 – 5:00 pm
Riverview International Center is on a mission to ensure every child has the tools they need for a successful school year. They’re preparing to distribute at least 300 backpacks filled with school supplies to children in need, and they can’t do it without your help! If you’re looking for a way to make a tangible impact in our community, please consider volunteering your time. To learn more and sign up, email angelica@riverviewinternationalcenter.org.
Volunteers of America
Stuff The Backpack
Since 2018, NBC4, in partnership with Volunteers of America, host Stuff The Backpack, which has served more than 200,000 local students. The goal of the event is to supply as many backpacks as possible, stuffed with essential supplies, to Central Ohio students in grades K through 12. They have a variety of easy ways you, your friends and family members can help from buying school supplies, hosting a donation drive in your workplace or home, or covering the cost of a backpack and supplies for one child. Click here to learn more.