With time running out for their seasonal break, many area students are counting down the days — in dread — for the first day of the school.

Likewise, many area parents are dreading something else — the amount of money they’ll be spending to get their children properly equipped for their return to the classroom next month.

Spending those extra dollars on items like pencils, pens, protractors and paper, along with a pack to store them all, places an added strain on any budget, especially for families who are living paycheck to paycheck or those with dealing with fixed incomes.

Fortunately, volunteers with the United Way of southwest Michigan are looking to help relieve this stress for Cass County households, by the bagful.

The local service organization is hosting their annual School Supply Spectacular from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, at the Lewis Cass ISD Brookside Learning Center in Cassopolis. Volunteers will be giving away 1,000 free backpacks to Cass County students, filled with school supplies for the coming year.

All one has to do to receive a free pack is get in line at the learning center that morning, and fill out some basic paperwork, organizers said. It’s an easy and painless process that will benefit county families tremendously, providing kids with the materials they need to succeed in the classroom without leaving a dent in their parents’ wallets.

Organizers said this type of program fills a big need within Cass County communities, and we couldn’t agree more.

In the Dowagiac school district alone, more than 70 percent of students qualify for free or reduced lunch; in addition, hundreds of families rely on local food pantries to keep their households fed.

In homes where literally every dollar counts, finding the cash for small additional expenses like school supplies can be challenging, so programs like the School Supply Spectacular can serve as a godsend to these families.

Saturday’s event doesn’t just benefit the people receiving a hand — it also helps those providing it. The volunteers helping out on Saturday will surely feel great seeing the looks on children’s faces as they pick out the bag that will be resting on their shoulders on the way to school for the next year.

We encourage needy families to take advantage of their community’s generosity on Saturday; we also encourage individuals to take a few hours of their day to help improve the lives of their neighbors.

 

Opinions expressed are those of the editorial board consisting of Publisher Michael Caldwell and editors Ambrosia Neldon, Craig Haupert, Ted Yoakum and Scott Novak.