For the 11th year in a row, the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara (HACSB), in partnership with 2nd Story Associates, provided free backpacks and school supplies to low-income youth and families, ahead of the district’s first day of school on August 21. Whether prepping for arts and crafts or calculus, 450 students were able to “shop” the fun assortment of backpacks to find their perfect fit for the upcoming year. Music echoed around the island-themed event space in the Presidio Springs housing complex, muffled by the bustling mix of HACSB families.
Rob Fredericks, the executive director and CEO of the Housing Authority, said that Saturday’s “Tools for School” event was one of the best they’ve held so far, featuring a lot of happy faces and, it seemed, a great deal of relief. Fredericks said he “can’t believe” how high the prices of supplies have risen in recent years.
Every free superhero-, patchwork-, and cheetah-print backpack alone saved parents around $30-$50 each. Unless parents are willing to hunt for a sale or forgo that new princess backpack, families with children in elementary through high school can expect to spend an average of $890.07 on backpacks and what goes in them this year, according to a National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics annual survey.