Back-To-School Generosity Seen Throughout Texas

AUSTIN, TX — These are hard, uncertain times. But if one only takes the time to look, random acts of generosity are invariably revealed. In recent examples throughout Texas, children returning to school after summer break have been gifted with backpacks for their return to class.

Such was the case last week in Houston, when HNTB Corp. donated more than 100 backpacks to the Tellepsen Family Downtown YMCA on Friday. The collection drive was part of a broader effort called "YMCA Operation Backpack" that provides new school supplies and backpacks to children in need, "empowering them with the tools to be academically successful, while also filling them with hope for a brighter future, joy and excitement as they start the school year," officials wrote on their website.

The goal of the initiative this year is lofty, officials added, with plans to impact the lives of 120,000 students. Distribution of backpack and school supplies is scheduled at the Tellepsen Family Downtown YMCA, 808 Pease, in Houston, on Saturday, Aug. 17, from 1 p.m. to 3 pm.

Related stories:

Pflugerville Teacher's Plea For Backpacks Ends With 800 Donations

El Mundo Austin Schedules Annual Back To School Festival

Round Rock Back to School Bash Scheduled

To learn more and sign up a child to receive a backpack, click here.

Here is a link with more information about the donation itself and how to sign your child up to receive a backpack, click here.

And then there's Pflugerville in Central Texas, where a teacher's tireless requests of companies for donations yielded more than 800 backpacks. Bilingual education teacher Margaret Olivarez of Copperfield Elementary had hoped to collect needed backpacks for her students, penning letters to Dell, Nordstrom, T-Mobile and other companies to gauge their interest.

What happened exceeded her expectations, with 822 backpacks — and counting — collected so far. "I didn't think we would get this kind of attention," Olivarez said. "I was a little overwhelmed."

In Austin, kiddos are looking forward to their annual back-to-school festival organized by the bilingual newspaper El Mundo this coming Saturday. At the big bash scheduled Aug. 17, children will enjoy free entertainment while availing themselves not only of free backpacks and school supplies, but vision and speech screenings, booster seats, giveaways, raffles and other surprises.

On Aug. 3, a whopping 4,500 backpacks were distributed to Austin ISD students during the 14th annual "Back to School Bash and Safety Fair" as Spectrum News reported. In addition to backpacks, the fair offered free health screenings, booster seats and presentation on safety and educational best practices.

In late July, Round Rock ISD staged its annual back-to-school celebration that drew more than 11,000 attendees — breaking last year's attendance record — at Dell Diamond. Free school school supplies, sports physicals, hearing and vision screenings, food, and fun were are all in the offing for those attending the event scheduled that took place on July 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Live music and dance performances added to the celebratory theme.

In Burleson County, nearly 500 families descended to the 4th annual Back-to-School Blast in Caldwell, as reported by the KBTX. Those attending received not only free backpacks, but school supplies and food during the event that was hosted by Texas A&M AgriLife Extention's Strengthening Families of the Brazos Valley organization. A record number of vendors and volunteers were represented, the news station reported. Also offered free of charge were car seat inspections and booster seats, according to the report.

Waco had its share of generous acts as represented by the Back-to-School Community Celebration hosted by Centex Hispanic Chamber of Commerce on Aug. 10 at Richland Mall. The same day, the NAACP Back 2 School Rally & Symposium took place in the Central Texas town of Killeen, where free backpacks were distributed at Grace Christian Center. Not far from KIlleen in neighboring Gatesville, the Back to School Bash hosted by First United Methodist Church provided children with free school supplies and haircuts.

San Antonio had its share of donations drives, including those organized by ChildSafe; San Antonio Aquarium; Daughters of Charity Services of San Antonio; Ladies of the Empire; St. PJ's Children's Home; and others.

In Dallas, hundreds of families waited in the rain on Martin Luther King Boulevard where owners of the small, family-owned restaurant Tucker's Cafe gave away thousands of backpacks stuffed with school supplies earlier this month, as WFAA reported. Owners of the eatery also gave away new uniforms while next door, Clippin Crownz 4 Christ Barbershop gave children haircuts free of charge.

It's often said that everything is bigger in Texas. This sense of bigness clearly also applies to the state's generous heart.