Here's Where To Get Free Supplies Before The School Year Starts

CALIFORNIA — Free backpacks, school supplies, haircuts; those are just some of the many items organizations are giving away to help families get ready for the start of the school year. Below is a list of free events in or around major California areas that will be participating in these giveaways.

Los Angeles

• Dena Community Back Giveaway — The event will take place Sunday, Aug. 3, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Rose Bowl. Local organizations will be working to give out 2,500 backpacks filled with school supplies. There will also be a space for activities, an arcade truck, a resource fair and ice cream. Register here.
• BrookieT Academy Annual Backpack Giveaway — Backpacks will be given away at this event, which will also have hairstyling, crafts, dance demonstrations and the opportunity to register for a laptop. The event takes place Saturday, Aug. 2, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Ladera Park (6027 Ladera Park Ave.). Get tickets here.
• 8th Annual Backpack Giveaway — Free backpacks will be given out on Aug. 2 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the South Bay Pavillion Mall in Carson. This event is for Carson residents only and proof of residence will be required. The mall is located at 20700 Avalon Blvd. Get tickets for the event here.
• 5th Annual Back To School Giveaway Altadena — Free school supplies, backpacks and goodies will be given out during this event in Altadena. The event will take place Aug. 16 from 10 .am. to 2 p.m. at 421 E. Woodbury Rd. Get tickets here.
• 5th Annual Back To School Giveaway Monrovia — This event will have free school supplies, snacks and fun activities for kids. It'll take place Aug. 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 301 W. Huntington Dr. in Monrovia. Get tickets here.

Inland Empire

• Young Visionaries Back To School Backpack Giveaway — This event will be held on Friday, Aug.1, from 9 a.m. to noon at 604 W. Fourth St. in San Bernardino. Backpacks filled with essential school supplies will be given out, and it is open to K-12 students. Register here.
• Back to School Community Event — This event will have giveaways, activities and freebies from brands such as Vans and Old Navy. There will also be ice cream, haircuts, braiders and facepainting. The event will take place Saturday, Aug. 2, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Red Hill Park in Rancho Cucamonga (7484 Vineyard Ave.). Secure a spot here.
• 6th Annual Backpack Drive — This giveway will have free backpacks filled with school supplies and information on how to access health resources. There will be free food for the first 150 people, free items from Amazon and interactive activities. Each child must have their own ticket. The event will take place Aug. 6, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Rialto Middle School (1262 West Rialto Ave.). Get a ticket here.
• Back-To-School Celebration — More than 250 backpacks filled with school supplies will be given out at the 7th Annual Truth & Triumph's Back-To-School Celebration on Saturday, Aug. 9. The event will occur from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 721 Nevada Street in Redlands (Suite 408). Aside from the backpacks, there will be free tablet giveaways, gift cards, contests, prize drawings and games. School supplies will be handed out on a first-come, first-served basis. Get tickets here.

San Diego

• Pack The Plaza — This event will give out free backpacks filled with school supplies to local students from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 2, at Legacy International Center (875 Hotel Circle S., San Diego). Donations that will go toward helping San Diego students in need are also accepted. The event will have music, food and family activities. Get tickets here.
• Motive Mark Community Appreciation Event — Free backpacks, school supplies and haircuts will be provided at this community event on Saturday, Aug 2. It'll take place from noon to 4 p.m. at 3137 Beyer Blvd. in San Diego, and the giveaway will be on a first-come come first-served basis. For more information, click here.
• 9th Annual Backpack Giveaway — Free backpacks will be given out by the Veteran Homeowners Club. The event will take place Aug. 9, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 805 College Blvd. in Oceanside (Suite 103).

Orange County

• Back To School Bash: Backpack Bonanza & More — Free backpacks and school supplies will be given out at this event. There will also be coloring stations, face painting and balloon twisting. Attendees can also enter for a chance to win $500 for a shopping spree at stores such as H&M, Children's Place, Zumiez and Shoe Palace. No RSVP is required for this event. It'll take place on Aug. 2 from noon to 3 p.m. at the MainPlace in Santa Ana (2800 N. Main St.)
• The Knowledge Mobile’s Back-to-School Bookmobile Bash— Enjoy free activities such as Book Bingo, a Library Scavenger Hunt and a craft corner at the Bookmobile Bash. This event will take place Aug. 2 from noon to 2 p.m. at the OCEA parking lot (830 N. Ross St. in Santa Ana).
• Breath of Life: Backpack Into A Future With Clean Air — This community resource fair will be giving out free backpacks and school supplies. There will also be activities for kids, health resources and more. The fair will take place Aug. 9 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Cypress Neighborhood Center located at 8380 Cypress Ave. Get tickets here.
  

San Francisco

• Back-to-School Backpack Giveaway Stuffing — Free backpacks stuffed with school supplies will be given out at this event. It'll take place Aug. 15 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Glide Memorial Church (330 Ellis St. in San Francisco). Register here.
• St. Anthony Foundation's 10th Annual Back-to-School Giveaway — This two-day event will give out free backpacks, school supplies, clothing and books to roughly 500 children living in the city's Tenderloin neighborhood. The event will take place Thursday, Aug. 7, and Friday, Aug. 8, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the St. Anthony Foundation's Poverello Room (First Floor). The foundation is located at 150 Golden Gate Ave. For more information, click here.
• Backpacks for Confidence — Children on Aug. 7 will select their new backpacks for the school year, which will be filled with school supplies, water bottles, lunchboxes, shoes and a $100 gift card. Ritter Center is located in San Rafael and is still seeking donations through Aug. 6.
• Free Teacher Giveaway — For teachers, this Bay Area organization will be giving out materials to help stock the classroom this upcoming school year. Staplers, tape, paper, notebooks, markers and pencils will be available. The event is open to Bay Area Public School teachers and an ID or other proof of identification is required to access the supplies. The event will take place Aug. 10 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 2150 Newcomb Ave. in San Francisco. Get tickets here.

Sacramento

• Annual Backpack Giveaway — There will be free backpacks, food supplies, haircuts and food at this annual giveaway at Northgate Park. The event will take place Aug. 4 from 4 to 6 p.m. at 2825 Mendel Way in Sacramento. Click here to RSVP.
• Destiny Church Backpack Giveaway — Free backpacks, clothing, shoes, BBQ, bounce houses, face painting and more will be featured at this giveaway. The event will take place on Aug. 2 and Aug. 10, starting at 10 a.m. The Aug. 2 event will take place at Destiny Church in Sacramento (9470 Micron Ave.), while the latter will take place at the Destiny Community Center (6850 Five Star Blvd., Rocklin). "Please be sure to carefully review and select the campus you will be registering for, the event organizers said. Register here.
• South Sacramento Community Backpack Giveaway — This drive-thru event, sponsored by Kaiser Permanente, will take place Aug. 9 from 9 to 11 a.m. at Mack Road Valley Hi Community Center (7833 Center Parkway in Sacramento). There will be free backpacks for students K-12 until supplies last.
• All-Campus Lunch and School Supply Giveaway — University of the Pacific is hosting a free luncheon on Wednesday, Aug. 20, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Knoles Lawn (3601 Pacific Ave., Stockton). The event will also have a school supply giveaway. "Come hungry, leave prepared!" school officials said online.