Back to School

2026 Back to School Program

Gear up for the upcoming Back to School Program hosted by Anchored Ministries on Saturday, August 15, 2026, from 9 AM–12 PM at Hopewell Church! This community event provides free backpacks, school supplies, and clothing to students in need—helping families start the school year strong. Whether you’re looking to donate, volunteer, or spread the word, your support makes a lasting impact. Together, we can equip local kids with the tools and confidence they need to succeed!

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About
Who it’s for
How it Works
Get Involved
Sponsor?

What is the Back to School Program?

As summer winds down, we want every child to walk into the new school year prepared. The Back to School Program supports students from kindergarten through 12th grade, giving them the tools to succeed and easing the financial weight on their families.

Thanks to donated backpacks and school supplies from our community, we host an event each year where registered students choose a brand-new backpack and fill it with the supplies they need. The support doesn’t stop there. The day includes a shared meal and a visit to our Mobile Clothing Closet to find outfits for the new year.

Getting ready for school is about more than supplies. Depending on the year, we also offer extras like free haircuts, eye exams, and other services, so students start the year with confidence.

You can watch a shy kid stand a little taller once they’ve got the right supplies and a fresh outfit for day one. That’s the whole reason we do this.

Who It’s For?

The program is open to families with children from kindergarten through 18 who live in or attend school within the Twin Valley or Daniel Boone School Districts, including public, private, and homeschool students.

To qualify, families also need to meet certain income or assistance guidelines, such as receiving SNAP or TANF, having children in foster care, or meeting the criteria for homeless, runaway, or migrant youth.

You can review current guidelines here:

So we can serve as many local families as possible, we ask that you apply to only one back-to-school assistance program. If you meet these guidelines, we’d be honored to support your family as you get ready for the year.

How it works

Registered families arrive during their chosen time slot and check in at the entrance. From there, you move through the event together as a family.

You’ll start at the school supply line, where each child picks a brand-new backpack from a wide range of styles and colors. Next come the grade-specific supply tables, stocked with the essentials for each school level, plus tables of books and fun extras to grab as needed.

Light refreshments or a simple meal are available depending on the time of your visit, so families can sit down, connect, and enjoy the day. After that, everyone’s invited to the Mobile Clothing Closet, where children pick out quality clothing to start the year feeling confident.

Other services like haircuts, eye exams, or wellness resources may be offered depending on the community partners and volunteers we have that year. The whole day is built to feel uplifting and joyful, so every student heads into school ready and smiling.

Get Involved

Donate Backpacks & Supplies

Contribute to our collection drives with new backpacks, notebooks, pens, and other essentials. Your generosity makes sure every child is equipped for the school year.

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Host a Supply Drive

Rally your church, business, school, or team to collect backpacks and supplies for local students. Hosting a drive is a simple, rewarding way to bring your community together around a real need, and it stocks our tables for event day.

Host a Drive

Offer your Services

If you’re a local business or professional who can provide free haircuts, eye exams, or other services, we’d love to partner with you to make the event even more meaningful.

Get in touch

Volunteer at the Event

Join us on event day to help students find their supplies, serve food, or assist in the Mobile Clothing Closet. Your time makes a world of difference to these families.

Volunteer

If you can’t donate supplies or volunteer, a financial gift goes directly to supporting this program.

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The Difference It Makes

Starting the year without the right supplies is the kind of small thing that follows a kid around. A backpack falling apart. Notebooks they had to go without. When a student picks out a brand-new backpack and fills it themselves, they walk into day one ready instead of behind. That’s the difference your support makes.

Each year, over 200 students started school ready.

This school season, your business has the opportunity to make a meaningful difference while gaining valuable community exposure. By sponsoring Anchored Ministries’ Back to School Program, you’ll help bring relief to local families in need—showing your customers that your business is committed to giving back where it matters most.

  • Make a local impact
  • Show your heart
  • Community visibility
  • Build goodwill
  • Support local families
  • Promote your brand
Become a Back to School Sponsor

2025 Sponsors

Frequently Asked Questions

Have a question? Check out this list of our top questions.

The program is open to families with children in the Twin Valley School District who are experiencing financial hardship.

To apply for the Anchored Ministries Back to School Program, your children must meet all of the following three eligibility requirements. Please read each section carefully to ensure you qualify.

Age Requirement
Your children must be between birth and 18 years old in order to be eligible for this program.

Residency Requirement
Your children must either attend or live within the Twin Valley School District. This includes:

  1. Public school students within the district.
  2. Homeschool students within the district boundaries.
  3. Private school students within the district.

Income or Assistance Requirement
Your children must meet one of the following conditions to qualify based on income or assistance:

  1. Your household receives benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
  2. Your children are foster children under the legal care of a foster care agency or the court.
  3. Your children meet the federal definition of homeless, runaway, or migrant.
  4. Your household income is at or below the limits set by the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines for the free/reduced lunch program. You can check the current guidelines here:
    a. SNAP Eligibility Guidelines
    b. Free/Reduced Lunch Income Guidelines
    c. TANF Cash Assistance Information

One Program Application Policy
You may apply to only one Back to School assistance program to ensure all families in the community are served. By applying to Anchored Ministries, you confirm that you have not applied to any other Back to School assistance program.

You can sign up by completing the Participant Form.

You will need to provide basic details such as your child’s age, gender, and grade.

Yes, the deadline to submit your Participant Form is typically during the first week in August. Specific details will be announced in the post for each year. Please be sure to register before the deadline so we can ensure ample supplies exist for your child.

Yes, if you have multiple children, you can submit for each of them.

If anything changes after you submit your form (e.g., you no longer need assistance or need to update information), please contact us.

We understand that family situations can be complex. However, each child may only be registered once for the Back to School Program. We kindly ask that divorced or separated parents coordinate with one another to determine which parent will complete the application for their children. This helps ensure that all families in our community have the opportunity to be served fairly and with care.

Become a volunteer

Make a Difference, One Act at a Time!

Join our dedicated team of volunteers and be part of something bigger. Whether you’re sorting clothes, helping at events, or providing direct support to those in need, your time and talents will make a lasting impact. Together, we can spread hope and create positive change in our community.

Apply Now