CASS COUNTY — This year’s School Supply Spectacular will provide free backpacks with age-appropriate school supplies to low-income students throughout Cass County.

The event will be hosted on from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. at Brookside Learning Center, 1662 Dailey Road, Cassopolis. A limited number of backpacks will also be available on from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. at Marcellus Methodist Church, 197 W. Main, Marcellus.

Backpacks will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis, to Cass County children (pre-K through grade 12). Children must be present in order to receive a backpack and must be accompanied by an adult.

Five of the backpacks will contain a Golden Ticket. The children that receive a Golden Ticket in their backpack will win a $50 gift card for back-to-school clothing, a free haircut, a fun dental-care kit and two big boxes of after-school snacks.

Feeding America of West Michigan Mobile Food Pantry will be available on these dates at both locations.

Volunteers are needed on the following dates:

• Tuesday, Aug. 14 at 9 a.m.

• Friday, Aug. 17 at 9 a.m.

• Saturday, August 18 at 9 a.m.

• Wednesday, Aug. 22 at 9 a.m.

For more information or to volunteer, visit uwsm.org/school-supply-spectacular.

Major sponsors of School Supply Spectacular 2018 are St. Denys Foundation, McLoughlin Family Foundation, Michigan Gateway Community Foundation, Fifth Third Bank and Chemical Bank. Other sponsors supporting this event include 1st Source Bank and the Edward Lowe Foundation.

United Way of Southwest Michigan fights for the health, education and financial stability of every person in every community, officials said. By harnessing resources from corporate, nonprofit and public partners, the organization provides immediate assistance to the most vulnerable populations while addressing the root causes of the community’s longstanding challenges and changing lives for the better. For more information, visit uwsm.org.