Back-to-school costs add up for Columbia families as community event offers relief

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Families filled the MU Pavilion on Friday for free backpacks, school supplies and other essentials as the cost of getting children ready to return to the classroom adds up.

Unity in the Community and Powerhouse Community Development Corporation hosted the Community Back to School Bash from noon-6 p.m. The event offered free backpacks and school supplies, haircuts, sports physicals, dental, vision and hearing screenings, food, household essentials and other resources.

Charles Stephenson, CEO and founder of Powerhouse Community Development Corporation, said he has held similar events in other communities for more than 18 years and sees a significant need in Columbia.

“I’ve been doing this in other communities for over the last 18 years. And, since I’ve been in Columbia. Columbia’s a big city, and the need is just massive. You’ve got so many homeless people here, and you got a lot of families that are struggling. Single parents and the economy,” Stephenson said.

Stephenson said he has heard from parents who are trying to prepare several children for the beginning of the school year.

“We have seen and heard from so many grateful parents. Just, you know, some of these mothers have three or four kids, and the cost for each kid is just, just just astronomical,” Stephenson said.

Parent Diamond Lewis has one child and said she expects to spend between $300-$400 getting him ready for school. Lewis said the expenses continue even after the initial shopping trip.

“Once you are done with this back-to-school shopping, you still have to do lunches, maybe some unexpected [costs], like projects come up where you have to like wraps up a last minute,” Lewis said.

She said even some of the basic supplies have surprised her this year.

“Notebooks and pencils. I literally bought a pack of pencils for like six bucks today, so that definitely surprised me,” Lewis said.

ABC 17 News took the Columbia Public Schools kindergarten supply list and priced out every item at two major retailers to get a closer look at what one local family could pay for one child's school supplies alone. The total came to $137.74 at Target and $136.96 at Walmart.

That means filling the kindergarten list cost about $137 at either retailer before adding other back-to-school necessities such as new clothes, shoes and lunch boxes.

For families already balancing those costs with everyday expenses, Stephenson said back-to-school shopping can force difficult choices.

“Because those things are needed to, you know, families have to make tough decisions. You know, do I put gas in my car to buy groceries? You know, do I buy school supplies for my kids or do I buy laundry detergent?” Stephenson said.

Stephenson said the goal of Friday’s event was to take some of that burden off families. He said organizers try to provide 80-90% of what children need.

The event also went beyond pencils, notebooks and backpacks. More than 40 vendors were on hand with resources, and organizers offered services including physicals, screenings and household essentials.

Stephenson said families began lining up hours before the event started. He said last year’s event drew more than 4,000 people, served more than 2,000 children and gave out more than 1,700 pairs of shoes. He also stated he believes they will surpass those numbers this year.

For Lewis, getting some of what her son needs at Friday’s event means less stress heading into the school year.

“It just takes off so much stress and just ease on my mind that we can get this done before right before school starts. Like, it’s a really big blessing,” Lewis said.