School supplies giveaway event Saturday at Faith Family Church

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The first day of school is filled with many exciting moments – the first bell, showing off your new school clothes, seeing old friends and pulling out those new supplies for that first class.

But for some children, it’s a stressful time because their parents can’t afford new school supplies.

Faith Family Church hopes to change that for some Gonzales County children with their fifth annual backpack and school supplies giveaway.

“There’s so many needy kids in the area,” said Gonzales Elementary third grade teacher and event organizer Pam Hamilton. “It’s so embarrassing for those kids to have to come to school and not have supplies. That’s why our church wanted to get involved.”

Faith Family Church, located at 1812 Cartwheel Drive in Gonzales, will give away 300 backpacks filled with school supplies on Saturday, Aug. 13, in their Ground Zero youth building, which is right next to the church. The doors will open at 8 a.m.

Backpacks will be available for children who are entering kindergarten through sixth grade. Each child must be present to receive a backpack. It is on a first-come, first-served basis, and each child gets to pick his or her own backpack.

Hamilton said the church organizers start getting donations from area businesses in June and July. They try to make sure as many items on the area school supply lists as possible are in the backpacks.

“It’s just amazing,” she said. “We have a very generous community!”

Hamilton said that many people start lining up as early at 6:30 a.m. to make sure they’re one of the lucky 300 to get backpacks.

“Last year, we gave away 237 backpacks in 53 minutes. And we only allow in 10 children at a time, so things go fast!” she said.

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