The beginning of August is just a few days away — which also means that the beginning of another school year is just around the corner.
Fortunately for parents, there are several back-to-school fairs slated to begin next week to help families get their children ready for another school year.
One of those events is slated for Thursday, Aug. 5, at Fellowship General Baptist in Poplar Bluff. The South Central Missouri Community Action Agency will host its Drive-thru School Readiness Event from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the church, located at 3581 N. Westwood Blvd. on the northern edge of Poplar Bluff.
“We are pleased to partner with the Fellowship General Baptist Church,” said Ginger Hill, the community services and LIHEAP director for SCMCAA. “They are an incredible group of people who truly love their community.”
The SCMCAA expects to serve approximately 1,000 children at its event.
“We have been doing these types of events since the year 2000,” Hill said. “Our agency provides backpacks and school supplies to children from low-income households. These events are incredibly important for our families.
“Our most recent Community Needs Assessment indicated that families often have difficulty being able to meet their basic needs — let alone extra expenses that are incurred in getting their children ready to enter school. Our goal has always been to ensure that children are able to enter school on the same level as their peers.”
For the second year in a row, the SCMCAA’s back-to-school fair will be a drive-through event.
“Our events became drive-thru events in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic,” Hill said. “We encourage families to get pre-registered ASAP. To do that, the head of the household should contact our Butler County Community Action Center.”
The Butler County Community Action Center is located at 1716 S. Broadway in Poplar Bluff and their phone number is 573-785-4727.
Several area businesses will be vendors at next Thursday’s event. They include First Midwest Bank, the University of Missouri Extension, Poplar Bluff Housing Authority, Child Concern, Family Counseling Center, MPact, SEMO Behavioral Health, Community Resource Council, Show Me Hope, Foster Adopt Connect and Ozark Federal Credit Union.
“These events are truly a community-wide effort,” Hill said. “Our community partners come together to provide additional supplies, information and other services. We have tremendous support from the Butler County area. If a service provider or community organization would like to attend, please give us a call and we will be happy to include them.”
Another back-to-school event will be held Saturday, Aug. 7, at the West Point Church gymnasium on Highway E, southeast of Doniphan.
The fourth annual Every Kid Counts Back 2 School Clothing Drive will run from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and will offer free clothing, shoes, new undergarments and hygiene packs for all Ripley County students. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
Drop-off locations for the event including Southern Bank, People’s Community Bank, Bank of Grandin in Doniphan, Jamison’s and West Point Church. The clothing drive is accepting new or gently used clothing, shoes and all sizes, new undergarments only and hygiene items.
For more information, contact event organizers Serra McCabe or Tasha Buckhanan via Facebook or by phone at 573-544-4513.