Back to school drives help parents prepare and save

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – It’s the final crunch for Richmond and Columbia County parents to get back to school supplies.

The National Retail Federation estimates families will spend roughly $890 this year; a nearly $30 increase from last year.

“The price oh my goodness gracious,” AJ Ryan, a Columbia County grandparent, said. “That is definitely a blessing that they’ve been giving people and giving school supplies out because it is really expensive now and everything is expensive.”

The price is what brought families our to the various back to school giveaways over the weekend.

“At one time, it was me up there in that line,” Marquitta Rucker, lead coordinator for the Mega Back to School Bash, said. “It was me and my three children in that line standing and waiting to get supplies, hoping that when I got to the front, that they didn’t run out, because I know I didn’t have the money to get them what they needed.”

“The need is always there for school supplies, you can never have enough school supplies,” Brandi Threat with Columbia County Department of Family Services said.

It’s a need found everywhere.

“I know that desperation, I know what it feels like to be at need,” Rucker said. “I hope that they walk out of here knowing that we put a lot into helping them get prepared for the upcoming school year because we want them to be successful.”

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