Back to School 2025: A Holistic Community Campaign Giving Families ‘A Successful Start’

Jul 31

This year, preparing for the new school year wasn’t just about one day; it was a whole community campaign designed to support families in every way they need. Over the weeks leading up to July 26, we hosted workshops focused on health, literacy, attendance, and mental health, reaching dozens of families both virtually and in person.

All of this hard work and connection culminated in our annual Back to School Fair at the Bachman Lake Together Family Center, bringing a day filled with backpacks, smiles, and activities that brought families together to start the year strong.

Impact at a Glance

415 backpacks distributed
450+ children and 300+ parents attended (representing 200+ families)
66 volunteers supported across three days (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday)
32 community partners hosting a mix of resource tables, workshops and activities

Activities for the Whole Family

Throughout the day, families explored a variety of fun and engaging activities designed to create joy and connection. Children lined up for fresh haircuts getting ready to head back to school with confidence. Laughter and music filled the Family Center as children joined in for singing, dancing, face painting, creating art, and making memories with fellow neighbors.

Meanwhile, Zumba brought the energy, with participants of all ages moving together and filling the space with movement and smiles. For younger children, the coloring and face painting stations were nonstop offering a chance to be creative and have fun.

These simple moments reminded us that preparing for school isn’t just about supplies—it’s about joy, confidence, and community-building.

More Than a Day: A Holistic Start to the School Year

The Back-to-School Fair was the culmination of a broader campaign to support families in every aspect of preparing for the new school year—not just with supplies, but with tools, knowledge, and community-building.

In the weeks leading up to the fair, we hosted a series of four family workshops, each designed around the real questions and challenges our families are navigating. Held both virtually and in person, the workshops created space for parents and caregivers to gather, learn, and share in community.

Topics included:

Health – building healthy routines and accessing care
Literacy – reading strategies to support early learning at home

Attendance & Anxiety – understanding school readiness and emotional well-being

Mental Health & Bullying – fostering safe environments and resilience

Dozens of families participated, and each session sparked meaningful conversation, reminding us that preparing children for school starts long before the first day of school. These workshops helped lay the foundation for a strong year ahead, giving parents and families tools they could use immediately while reinforcing that they have a community of support.

Together, the workshops and the fair formed a holistic campaign to support a confident, connected, and well-resourced return to school, for children and families alike.

We’re deeply grateful to the families, volunteers, partner organizations, and staff who made this year’s Back to School Fair possible. Together, we helped ensure that children in the Bachman Lake area are not only starting school with the right supplies, but with the confidence and support they need to thrive.