Nearly 1,000 children walked away with new shoes, backpacks and school supplies on Saturday, Aug. 1, after AdventHealth partnered with Life Church in Wesley Chapel for the church's annual Back-to-School Outreach event.
AdventHealth provided 450 pairs of new shoes and sent volunteers to help distribute resources throughout the morning, according to The Laker/Lutz News. The event drew families from across Pasco County, including Land O' Lakes and Lutz.
"I'd say the impact is huge," said Earl Watson, a volunteer from AdventHealth Wesley Chapel. "The climate we're living in, the economy, so many families are making sacrifices. This shouldn't have to be one of them."
The giveaway comes as Pasco County families face steeper back-to-school bills. Notebook prices are up 23% and index cards up 22% compared to prior years, with economists pointing to tariffs and inflation as key drivers, Tampa Bay 28 reported.
Natalie Dougherty of Life Church told The Laker/Lutz News the outreach grew from a recognition that students needed more than just supplies. "We saw a huge need in our community for our students to not just go back to school, but to go back to school confidently," Dougherty said.
The outreach brings together churches, businesses, volunteers and nonprofit organizations each year to help local families prepare for the school year, according to church organizers.
Pasco County schools are set to open Thursday, Aug. 13.
Other ways to help
Families and donors looking to pitch in still have options before the first bell rings:
- Two Good Soles campaign: Pasco County's annual shoe and sock drive accepts donations of new shoes and socks for students in need through Oct. 16. Since 2016, the campaign has collected more than 24,000 pairs of shoes and 58,000 pairs of socks.
- Greater Pasco Chamber Back-to-School Bash: The chamber's inaugural "Building Bonds Together" event takes place Saturday, Aug. 8, in Land O' Lakes, with a goal of giving away more than 100 backpacks filled with supplies to K–12 students. Details are available on the Greater Pasco Chamber events page.
