School Supply Distribution Event To Help Prince William County Students

WOODBRIDGE, VA — Before children head back to school, families in need will get a helping hand to get needed school supplies.

The Prince William County Community Foundation will host its Back-To-School Community Event with Prince William County Public Schools Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Gar-Field High School, 14000 Smoketown Road in Woodbridge. The annual event since 2021 helps to ensure students have school supplies they need to succeed. The event typically provides thousands of students with backpacks, notebooks, pens, pencils, other school supplies, and access to required vaccinations. Families with school-aged children are encouraged to attend.

The event will also have food vendors like Chick-Fil-A, Dixie Bones, and more giving out free meals to families. Nonprofit, C.H.O.W. Wagon will also be on-site giving out free groceries to families. Children can enjoy a Prince William County Fire Department fire preparedness obstacle course, Prince William County Sheriff’s Department child ID card station, balloon animals, airbrush tattoos and more activities. Families can access resources like health care information, job opportunities and internships, and PWCS program information and offerings.

"This year’s Back-To-School event will be here before you know it, so we encourage families to put it on their calendar," said Vanessa Gattis, president and CEO of Prince William County Community Foundation. "Our goal is to put students in the best position to succeed, and with I-66 EMP as a Silver Sponsor, this event is ready to do exactly that."

I-66 Express Mobility Partners, which operates the I-66 Express Lanes Outside the Beltway, is one of the event's silver sponsors. Diamond sponsors include Sentara and Amazon and gold sponsors include the Capital Area Food Bank and Destin Logistics. Other silver sponsors include Kaiser Permanente, GWP Health Center, and Dominion Energy. Bronze sponsors include Wegmans, Magma, NOVEC Helps, IKEA Woodbridge, American Family Care Urgent Care, Signature Orthodontics, Neabsco District Supervisor Victor Angry, and Potomac River Ortho. Foundation sponsors include Motiv8 Church, Pinkspace Theory, III Phase Entertainment, Anthem HealthKeepers Plus and the Virginia Black Chamber of Commerce.