Kearney Prepares for School Resource Fair

The last days of school for Kearney are here, but school district counselors and social workers are already looking ahead to the 2024-2025 school year. They are working in preparation for the annual Back to School Resource Fair.

The annual Resource Fair provides school supplies, hygiene kits, gently used clothing and information about community resources for students in need. Last year the school district was able to help 256 students be ready for school on the first day. The success of the Resource Fair is due to community members and businesses who give their time, talents and treasure to helping students become equipped to learn on day one.

Here are some ways individuals and businesses help with the Back to School Resource Fair:

- Promotions: share information about the Resource Fair. School district counselors will provide flyers for distribution in newsletters, announcements or in merchant bags and sacks.

- Supply drives: host a supply drive or make a donation to the Resource Fair. Some groups have chosen to collect supplies all summer and others concentrate on a particular date or event. Monetary donations will also be accepted.

- Save unused items: ask people to save their gently used clothes and donate them to the Resource Fair.

- Volunteer: The Resource Fair needs lots of volunteers to organize and distribute the clothes we collect. This link allows volunteers to let us know they are interested: Volunteer Registration.

The Back to School Resource Fair occurs on August 8th and 9th at Hawthorne Elementary School. In addition to normal school supplies, the counselors need clothes in all sizes—from youth small to adult XXL. They are especially looking for Bulldog gear. Clothes and shoes may be dropped off at Hawthorne Elementary August 5th – 9th between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm.

KPGZ News - Brian Watts contributed to this story