Our 18th Annual Back 2 School Fair was our biggest yet! We provided free backpacks, school supplies, children's books, and community resources to nearly 600 students. Plus, we raffled off some brand-new bikes and provided over 70 school physicals.
We had so much fun getting to celebrate the start of a new school year with our neighbors and friends! The impact that our Back 2 School Fair and others like it have on Chicago can't be overstated. A 2023 study conducted by Deloitte revealed that the average cost of school supplies for students was $661 per child-- a 27% increase from 2019. Chicago Public Schools itself reports that 80% of families in its system are considered economically disadvantaged.
For many families in our city, this financial burden can't be met without help. This is why we put so much effort into organizing our annual fair! Without working to fill this gap in access to school-year essentials, students' grades, creativity, relationships, and self-image can suffer. We're determined to send as many students as we can back to school with the tools they need to make every year their best yet.
We're so grateful to our community partners who showed up in support as well. 16 organizations from around the city joined us to share resources with students and parents. The Clerk of the Circuit Court provided assistance with record expungement. Big Brothers Big Sisters connected our participants with afterschool mentorship buddy programs. Open Books passed out dozens of free books for all ages! (Check out the full list of Back 2 School resources here.)
And of course, our Back 2 School fair wouldn't be complete without our fan-favorite bubble and balloon show. We saw a little bit of rain, but that didn't get us down! We kept the music going and the bubbles flowing, and before we knew it, the sun was out again!
To everyone who participated in this year's fair, thank you for making it such a blast. Our neighborhood wouldn't be the same without you, and we're honored to do everything we can to set you up for another great school year.
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Learn more about our year-round Community Health programs at associationhouse.org/community-health.
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