Omaha organizations help supply back-to-school necessities

By Johan Marin

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - Maurice Stewart and Angel Hawkins spent some quality time with their kids on Monday before the start of the school year.

They’ve been busy getting their kids ready to go back to class this week.

“Just regular school supply shopping and clothes shopping,” Stewart and Hawkins said.

They say all of that shopping was expensive. So, they decided to go to a backpack drive at Benson Park to help fill the gaps.

“It’s difficult with the list that schools give you for the school supplies now,” Stewart and Hawkins said.

‘Black Men United’ and ‘Nebraska For Us’ and other organizations hosted Monday’s event. They gave away about 500 backpacks and food to help families out.

“Places like this is definitely needed,” Colleen Cannon, event organizer said. “With the whole situation with the storm we had and a lot of people’s power out, a lot of parents had to pick and choose am I going to get food supplies or am I going to get the food that I need.”

According to the National Retail Federation, households with K-12 students will plan to spend an average of $875 dollars on school supplies, clothes, shoes, and electronics. That number went down slightly from $890 in 2023.

Cannon hopes on Monday they were able to lessen those costs in the metro.

“We try to help everybody and as many people as we can,” Cannon said.

Hawkins and Stewart told 6 News they now feel ready for the school year.

“It means one less thing to buy, one less expense,” Hawkins and Stewart said. “Something we appreciate and our girls love.”

Although the backpack drive was on Monday, organizers with ‘Black Men United’ said there are still plenty of backpacks for those in need. You can contact the organization at (402) 502-2018.

Other organizations like Living Grace Fellowship in Council Bluffs will give away backpacks this Thursday.