A Successful Start Begins with Shared Opportunity

What started as a school supply drive in 2020 has developed into a neighborhood summer tradition for families in Bachman Lake. Hundreds of families and children attended this year’s A Successful Start: Annual Back-to-School Campaign, Bachman Lake Together’s month-long initiative designed to equip local families with the tools, resources, and support they need before the 2026-2027 school year.  

Throughout July, many attended workshops focused on health, emotional wellness, school attendance, and college savings, while volunteers and partners packed more than 500 backpacks and 40 school supply kits for local students. These efforts culminated in our biggest event of the summer: the 6th Annual Back-to-School Fair. The Fair brought a day of free school supplies, essential resources, and connections to organizations serving the Bachman Lake neighborhood. All part of an ongoing commitment to ensuring everyone begins the school year with the support they need to thrive. 

A Successful Start with the Castellanos Family

While A Successful Start serves hundreds of people each year, its greatest impact is often found in individual stories that continue long after the Fair. At the center of one of those stories is Iris Castellanos, whose journey shows that preparing for school is more than a day of preparation; it's the beginning of lasting support and new opportunities for families.  

For nearly a decade, Iris has remained connected to Bachman Lake Together (BLT), from enrolling her children in early learning programs at the Family Center to participating in workshops, neighborhood initiatives, and the annual Back-to-School Fair. Reflecting on the first time she attended the Fair, she remembers the variety of support available to families. “It was exciting...” Iris said. “...the help with supplies, information on health and schools...haircuts–– there was a little bit of everything.”  

Iris and her two children at the Back-to-School Fair, in 2023 (left) and 2026 (right) (pictured above).

In 2018, Iris joined BLT’s Community Action Network while her two children attended Lumin Bachman Lake Community School. But just as she began building connections through the programs, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted daily life, leaving Iris and her family to navigate school and program closures. Without that space, she and many families in the neighborhood experienced isolation from their community and support systems. “That was the biggest impact for me because it wasn’t something easy,” Iris said. “But [Bachman Lake Together] was always there communicating with us.” In response, BLT launched A Successful Start, a school supply drive-thru in 2020 where over 200 students received a backpack full of school supplies and books, helping ensure basic needs are met until classrooms reopen and parents return to work.

A Successful Start began as a school supply drive-thru in 2020, helping local families prepare for the school year (pictured above).

This year, A Successful Start brought together over 500 families and dozens of partners and volunteers to prepare the neighborhood for the upcoming school year. “It’s exciting because it’s not only resources but...my kids have fun and I also have fun.” Her children, now 10 and 8, arrived this year excited to prepare for the school year, while Iris remained dedicated to helping other children and families discover the resources and support available right in the heart of their neighborhood. “We are a big community...” Iris said. “I share information to friends or those who I may not know.” 

The Bachman Lake neighborhood gathered for Bachman Lake Together's 2026 Back-to-School Fair (pictured above).

Our Community Impact at a Glance

This summer, the Bachman Lake neighborhood came together in meaningful ways for A Successful Start. The impact of that connection can be seen in the numbers:  

• 510 backpacks and 40 school supply kits distributed  

• 455 children and 291 parents attended (representing 188 families) 

• 88 volunteers  

• 28 community partners hosting a mix of resource tables, workshops and activities 

• A Successful Start Workshops 

  • Topics included:  

    • Emotional Awareness: better understanding emotions and discussing healthy coping skills 

    • Health: connecting with community health resources  

    • Dollars for College: access to college planning tools and setting up Dollars for College saving accounts 

    • School Attendance: strengthening attendance habits   

Behind every number is a family that gained resources, a child who feels more prepared, and a neighborhood investing in one another. We extend our sincere thanks to the families, volunteers, and partner organizations who made this year's A Successful Start: Annual Back-to-School Campaign possible. We look forward to sharing more moments like these with the whole neighborhood.  

A Successful Start Sponsors & In-Kind Support

A Successful Start Partners & Volunteers