DOWAGIAC — United Way of Southwest Michigan partnered with local businesses, organizations to present the annual school giveaway event.

On Saturday, the Lewis Cass ISD in Cassopolis was nothing short of “spectacular,” officials said, as more than 700 backpacks were handed out to Cass County children to ensure they’d be ready for day one of school.

United Way of Southwest Michigan’s School Supply Spectacular provided free backpacks with age-appropriate school supplies to low-income students in Cass County.  The supplies ranged from spiral notebooks to writing utensils and three-ring binders.

“It’s so important that children are ready for their first day of the new school year,” said Anna Murphy, the president of United Way of Southwest Michigan. “Backpacks and all of the school supplies needed can be costly for many families, especially those who have more than one child in school. We hope this event will give many families the relief they need to get off to a great start in a few weeks.”

In addition to the supplies, four of the backpacks featured a United Way Golden Ticket.  The lucky children who found a golden ticket in their backpacks received a $50 gift card for back-to-school clothing, a free haircut, a dental care kit, and two big boxes of after school snacks.  There is one ticket remaining, and is part of the backpacks being distributed from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 22, at Marcellus Methodist Church, 197 W. Main St., Marcellus.

Backpacks were available on a first-come first-serve basis to Cass County children (pre-K through grade 12).

For more information on United Way’s School Supply Spectacular, visit uwsm.org/school-supply-spectacular.

Major sponsors of 2018 School Supply Spectacular 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 is an organization that seeks to fight for the health, education and financial stability of every person in every community. They seek to establish the influence and relationships to make sustainable change. By harnessing resources from corporate, nonprofit and public partners, they help to provide immediate assistance to southwest Michigan’s most vulnerable populations. To learn more and consider volunteer opportunities visit uwsm.org.