Students get free supplies at Volunteer Action Center Health Fair

More than 500 kids in the Columbia area loaded up on free school supplies Saturday at the Volunteer Action Center’s health fair.

Kids got a backpack, free haircuts and even various health screenings.

This is the eighth year the VAC has hosted the event, but it’s the first year at the Family Impact Center downtown.

Event leaders hoped the new location would be more convenient for families, and it was, bringing in much larger crowds than last year.

“I think that every parent that prepares a child to get ready to go back to school always faces this little hump of getting all the supplies that you have to get, all the things you need to get ready,” said Nick Foster, executive director for the Volunteer Action Center. “So, this is meant to be a support.”

The VAC provides year-round assistance for families in the area.