Local organizations help financial strain amid back to school season

With the return to the classroom just around the corner, the United Way Centraide Windsor-Essex Chatham-Kent will soon be handing out hundreds of backpacks filled with school supplies to registered families in need in in the region.

Back to school celebration events are scheduled to take place Friday, Aug. 16 in Leamington and again on Friday, Aug. 23 in Windsor, where more than just the basics will be distributed.

"We are seeing an increase again," said CEO Lorraine Goddard.

Last year, families lined up hours in advance of doors opening ahead of the Backpacks for Success distribution event in Windsor.

"The percentage of families that are living in low income, across our community when we look at the whole region, it's one in five," Goddard explained. "When we narrow it down to certain neighborhoods, it's one in three."

The Backpacks for Success program provides students in need from kindergarten through grade 12 throughout Windsor-Essex County with backpacks filled with grade-appropriate supplies needed for school.

According to the United Way, classroom participation, attendance and student morale all increase when kids are provided with back-to-school supplies.

"We're trying to make sure we get these backpacks into the hands of as many children who need them."

Goddard noted that new this year, children's haircuts, bike safety courses with local police and other back-to-school basics will also be made available when they distribute the free backpacks.

"We have really generous people in our community who said, ‘hey, we're willing to come and help get kids ready for school and give them a free haircut.’ There's going to be information. We know our great partners from the Windsor-Essex County health Unit will be there and other partners as well. So we really encourage people to come on out."

Meantime, officials with the Unemployed Help Centre/UHC Hub of Opportunities said they will also be helping families in need ahead of September, noting hearty foods are being donated through their partnership with the United Way.

"If you can't get to United Way, you can always drop donations off here," said CEO June Muir. "We'll make sure that students and families get the donated items."

"With food inflation higher than inflation, people are not going to be able to afford back to school items," Muir told CTV News.

"And if they have to borrow money or they have to take from their rent or take from their utilities, they're going to get behind and it's going to cause further debt. It's a debt that parents don't need just to be able to get their kids to go back to school."

Friday's United Way event in Leamington takes place 11a.m. to 4p.m. at the Central 33 Building at 33 Princess Street.

Windsor's distribution event happens Aug. 23 from 11a.m. to 4p.m. at Aide Knox/Wilson Park at 1551 Wyandotte Street West.