The United Way School Supply Spectacular will be held at Brookside Learning Center Aug. 17. (Leader photo/File)

The United Way of Southwest Michigan’s sixth annual Cass County School Supply Spectacular will be held Aug. 17 at Brookside Learning Center and Aug. 21 at Marcellus United Methodist Church.

Both events will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The backpacks will be given away on a first-come, first-served basis to low-income families in Cass County. All children must be accompanied by an adult and adults must bring their children to this event in order to receive backpacks.

“We are also planning something extra special for this year’s event,” United Way President Anna Murphy said. “We are sponsoring a Feeding America Mobile Food Pantry Truck to be at Brookside Learning Center, located at 61682 Dailey Rd. Aug. 17 and will have enough food for the first 360 families who attend the event.”

Murphy also shared that “the need in Cass County is great, a full 55 percent of students qualify for free or reduced lunch and it’s estimated that there are almost 200 students who are homeless.”

Volunteer

You can join the United Way to help make sure this event is a success. Volunteers are needed to help organize and inventory supplies Tuesday, Aug. 13, pack backpacks Aug. 16 and assist in distribution Aug. 17.  You can sign-up to volunteer at www.uwsm.org/school-supply-spectacular.

Adopt-a-student

For just $20, you can sponsor a backpack by “Adopting-A-Student” and corporate sponsorships are still being accepted. To sponsor a student visit the United Way Website at www.uwsm.org/school-supply-spectacular or contact Sharon Polfus at (269) 982-1700 ext. 17.

The event is a collaborative effort between United Way of Southwest Michigan, the Lewis Cass Intermediate School District, local school districts, businesses and community agencies.

At the Brookside location, the School Supply Spectacular also features a mini service fair so that families know what additional resources are available to them in the community.

In attendance will be the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Cassopolis Family Clinic, Child and Family Services, Domestic and Sexual Abuse Services, Disability Network, 4-H, Woodlands Behavioral Health Network.