Families get ready for school at a One Stop School Shop

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) - Thousand of children in Brown County will go shopping for their school supplies -- for free.

Local organizations are putting on the One Stop School shop at the Kress Center at University of Wisconsin-Green Bay on Thursday.

Families who are pre-registered can shop for all of their school supplies. It’s truly a one-stop shop, because they’ll get everything from the basics like pencils and notebooks to the niceties and necessities, like backpacks and new socks and underwear.

“School is fun, and the kids look forward to going back and seeing their friends, and getting what you need to be prepared for that is just exciting. It’s fun, and all of these kids are so excited,” co-chair Anna Burnette said.

The One Stop School Shop is a coordinated effort by the Salvation Army of Greater Green Bay, the Service League, and NEWCAP.

It provides some financial relief for families who may be struggling.

“We just want to be able to take a little bit of the pressure off. Going back to school is a lot, and a lot of people do have multiple children so it’s a lot for them to wrap their head around,” Burnette said. “Whatever we can do to make it smooth for them, it really is a big part of the conversations at our meetings. We don’t want it to be any harder than life is.”

These organizations say making sure students are prepared is a critical part of the kids’ success.

The Salvation Army and Service League bought a lot of the school supplies, but many were also donated by the community through collection drives and a Stuff the Bus event.

The One Stop School Shop also provides a resource fair for low-income families.

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