Back-to-School events allow students and families the opportunity to reconnect with their school communities and prepare for a safe and productive start to the upcoming school year. Parishes throughout the Diocese of Gary have once again stepped up to make sure all children have what they need to head back to the classroom.
Holy Name of Jesus, Cedar Lake
Holy Name of Jesus in Cedar Lake completed its 10th annual supply drive. The parish began collecting school supplies after recognizing a need in its community, noticing book fees were rising and state funding for schools was dropping.
“The drive is well received,” said Mercedes Austgen, pastoral associate. “I believe we would get supplies even if we did not advertise for it.”
Holy Name delivers supplies to six local schools. Last year it provided donations to eight, but Austgen explained the Crown Point school district now includes supplies among other fees so families don't have to purchase them. In addition to the schools, the volunteers at Holy Name also drop off supplies at the local trustee's office, Project Love Food Pantry and the daycare on its campus.
“We have two volunteers that reach out to the schools to identify needs,” said Austgen. “We usually deliver several fully stocked backpacks and some additional loose supplies. We also supply socks and personal goods to the school nurses.”
This year Holy Name delivered a total of 64 fully stocked backpacks to local schools and loose supplies to Grand Tots Daycare and Preschool. It also keeps supplies on hand for requests from Society of St. Vincent DePaul clients.
St. John the Evangelist, St. John
In South Lake County, St. John the Evangelist conducted its first ever Back to School Drive this year. Katherine Carlson explained the parish felt called to do so as it continues its partnership with the Mission of Our Lady of Angels in downtown Chicago.
“We have supported them in the past and gone on two overnight weekend mission trips in the past year in November and February,” said the pastoral associate for discipleship at St. John.
The church is completing another Mission Trip Aug. 16-18 to assist with a "Back to School Block Party" event where all of the donations that were collected will be handed out to more than 800 children.
“We are hoping to help over 500 families and children on the streets of Chicago with the work of Our Lady of Angels,” said Carlson.
To conduct the drive, the parish handed out school supplies lists for each age group two weekends after Masses at the beginning of July and then collected all the school supplies the last two weekends of the month. Staff and volunteers then sorted all the donations by supply items into boxes and put them into backpacks.
Mission of Our Lady of Angels has a registration system with their food pantry and families registered, and SJE is able to hand them out in an assembly line on the streets.
“The community at SJE has stepped up HUGE!” said Carlson. “It is mostly being run by volunteers, especially kids at our parish, who are helping hand out flyers and collecting and sorting all the donations by item. There has been an overwhelming and generous amount of donations, almost over 40 boxes full of school supplies.”
Carlson added that SJE always strives to share what it has generously been given and give to those in need.
“We love to help the Mission of Our Lady of Angels and the poor who are close to us,” she said. “We encounter Christ in the poor and as we serve them, we serve Christ himself.”
St. Matthias, Crown Point
It is the second year of collecting school supplies for the members of St. Matthias in Crown Point. It was initially a project led by its summer ministry intern and this year staff decided to conduct the drive once again due to its popularity and the great need in the community.
“Our parishioners are exceptionally generous,” said Pastoral Associate Jackie Gentry. “They have donated thousands of school supplies that will benefit over 100 children.”
The parish distributed the supplies during the monthly Pick 7 food distribution the weekend of Aug. 10-11.
“Research shows that students who have proper supplies feel more excited and better equipped to start the school year off successfully,” said Gentry. “We are grateful to be able to be a part of that success.”
Holy Family Parish, LaPorte
Holy Family Parish in LaPorte realized a slightly different need in its community a few years ago. Noticing the number of food-insecure students within the schools, it decided to partner in 2017 with the Salvation Army’s National Backpack Program.
“At the time was in much need of organizational assistance as well as volunteers to continue the program,” said parishioner Renee Organ. “We came forth at the three churches in our parish requesting volunteers for the program.”
The weekly ministry has grown significantly from serving approximately 250 children to over 760 children in 2024. It has also grown from 20 parish volunteers to nearly 50 parish volunteers with Holy Family parishioners making up 97% of the community volunteers.
They continue to meet once a week at the Salvation Army packing bags in both a morning and an afternoon session during every school year. Each school receives tubs that are filled with the packed bags on Thursdays and personnel discretely place the food bags into the students’ backpacks to go home with them on Fridays.
“We have received reports from the educators that the children getting proper nutrition are returning to the classrooms on Mondays much more ready to learn and participate in the many activities,” said Organ.
The parishioners of Holy Family also participate in the Rock the Block Back to School Rally and Backpack Giveaway program to help children fill their backpacks with school supplies. This year’s rally was held on Aug. 8 and included dozens of vendors, giveaways, music, games and more.
Caption: Frances Vasquez, RoseMary Vicari, Monie Wendlinger (chairperson) and Shirley Manning organize school supplies at Holy Name of Jesus in Cedar Lake. Pastoral Associate Mercedes Austgen said its parishioners are very generous in all collections for peace and social justice initiatives. The church also organizes collections that benefit the Humane Society, Mommy's Haven, Women's Care Center, and a Giving Tree for families in need at Christmastime. (Provided photo)