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Free school supplies near you

Updated October 21, 2025 • 14 min read • 2,852 words
Focus Immediate Financial Assistance

Free school supplies listed by area, including near you.

Find where to get free back to school supplies for students from low to moderate income families. People in need will get help from the Salvation Army, national retailers, churches, or local charities in their community that assist students from grades K-12. Find places near you listed below that give out free back to school supplies , backpacks as well as uniforms for the school year with local county school supply giveaways listed as well. There are many free school supply programs that may be near you, both locally and nationally. Kids from low-income families or single mom run households will often get priority for the school year. Charities will even sometimes giveaway free gift certificates, vouchers, or pass out money that can be used to pay for school supplies as many assistance programs allow parents and kids to shop on their own for the school items they need. This allows them to pick out backpacks, laptops, clothes, books and more using a client choice model. Some of the items, including gift cards, are provided in partnership with retailers such as Target or Wal-Mart. There are other free back to school assistance programs that are administered directly by the Salvation Army or other charity organizations including the United Way. Select a category for contact information to use to apply in order to get applications for free uniforms as well as other school supplies for students in kindergarten, elementary, middle or high school are noted below. Charities that give out free school supplies

Get free school stuff using apps or company giveaways

Local school supply assistance programs in your area As noted, there are national and local programs listed below, with links to phone numbers and contact information. You can also visit our forum that helps people with school supplies where you can look for other users’ feedback, tips, suggestions and challenges.

Charities to apply for free school supplies and clothes

Some charities may even provide free electronics to students in elementary, middle or high school . They will often give out tablets for educational purposes, Chromebooks or free or low cost desktop or laptop computers for remote learning. A combination of free as well as low cost school supplies may be given out by a center, depending on the resources available. Or look into how government benefits will provide a free tablet .

  • Salvation Army free school supply program

is usually available in communities . They giveaway free back to school supplies to kids from pre-school up to high school age in mid-size to larger towns and counties. While resources are limited, the sites will do what they can to help lower income families during a difficult period. This can include offering affordable or free school supplies, shoes, clothes, backpacks, and other stuff for children during the back to school period. Or they may provide referrals. Get more information Salvation Army assistance programs . Not only are the resources indicated above available, but many Salvation Army centers also provide other assistance to students. As an example, some center have been able to hand out, for free, backpacks full of food. Or they give free haircuts or personal hygiene items to students along with emergency school supplies. Or parents may get rebates or vouchers to shop for school supplies near them at major retailers, including Target or WalMart.

The Assistance League

has hundreds of local chapters around the country as well. The main program they run is called

Operation School Bell

. Not only will it provide students with clothing, uniforms, items they need for any dress code policies in effect, but they also offer other educational services. The supplies may be notebooks, shoes, backpacks, and other school supplies. The charity also arranges for free haircuts, physicals, and more for the student before the school year starts. More on Assistance League programs . School supply drives are also coordinated by Love, Inc., or Love in the Name of Christ . The national charity is a Christian based group, but they assist clients regardless of their religion. One program, often called practical help, will include free school supplies for the poor, single moms, and less fortunate. The items are generally given away using a free voucher system from their thrift store. Or they are sold at a low cost to a shopper. Find details on Love Inc. programs for the poor . Some families do not live near a distribution site, or they are working during the day/weekend and can’t pick up back to school supplies for their kids. In these cases it may be possible to get free school items, including clothes or uniforms, in the mail or delivered . This can benefit single mothers who are working, the homebound or disabled, or families that lack a car or affordable transportation. There are several options, and learn how to get free school supplies in the mail . Churches often giveaway free school supplies . Faith based organizations often have collection bins or other assistance programs that pass out some items for students from a school district. They tend to focus on supporting people in the local parish. Any struggling family, with children, can get free clothes. Or there may be books, school supplies such as bags, and other stuff for the struggling household. Find churches near you to contact. United Way free low-income school supply programs are an option as well. The national non-profit, as well as its hundreds of local offices, partner with charities in a community near you to provide this form of assistance. Everything from free clothes to shoes, school bookbags or backpacks, pens, dresses, slacks, and other goods are passed out. Students from kindergarten age to high school may apply. Find more details on United Way school assistance programs .

Back-to-School Brigade from Operation Homefront

is for kids of military service members. The national non-profit, partnering with local distribution sites and retailers, helps kids of active duty service members (including Reserve or National Guard) get the stuff they need for the upcoming school year. Find more details on free school supplies for kids of military households https://operationhomefront.org/back-to-school-brigade/ . Catholic Charities free school supply giveaway events are held in many locations. They help kids from low-income households, immigrant and homeless families too. There are often free back to school supply programs offered, though what exactly is provided will vary by location. In general, a backpack full of school items (pens, pencils, notebooks, etc.) is provided to all as free hygiene supplies. Locate free items from Catholic Charities .

Urban League

is a national organizations with local affiliates in dozens of cities. Many provide free stuff, such as Back to School Bashes, supply giveaway events or Community Family Days. There will be items such as free backpacks for students and supplies, clothes for kids, health screenings, sneakers and more. A major focus is on undeserved families, including Black or Hispanic families, women, veterans, and minorities that have a low income. More on Urban League help for the low-income near you . Volunteers of America

Operation Backpack

is available in most communities The national charity, often called VOA, gives away many items to students from pre-school age to college age. Low-income families, the homeless and veterans with kids in school will be given free backpacks, writing materials, electronics such as a tablet or laptop, uniforms and other free school supplies. VOA also provides free school stuff to students from homeless families. There will also be gift cards and hygiene kits, and learn more on Volunteers of America assistance programs .

Get free school stuff using apps or company giveaways

Get free school supplies online . Charities and churches give away free school items to low income families, but there are also online websites, apps, and other places that have supplies for kids. Both new and/or gently used school supplies, tablets, clothes, laptops and more may be found online, often for free.

Freebies Alert

is a free app that provides information on where to get free stuff in your area, including school supplies. It is available to anyone to use, but a number of low-income and/or single parent run families rely on it to find free online school supplies. It sill provide information on places for free school uniforms, sneakers for kids of all sizes, book bags, refurnished laptops that a student can use and other school giveaways. Get details on

Freebies Alert

. Freecycle has lists of free school supply programs. This is another realtime app that anyone can get for their Samsung or Apple phone. Find people, places, online stores, or retailers near you that have free clothes for students, desks, used computers, or even brand new school supplies like notebooks, calculators, lunch boxes and more. Find how to get the Freecycle app . Companies often give away school backpacks full of supplies, often in partnership with local non-profits. Retailers and corporations such as Staples, AT&T, Target and others partner with the Kids in Need Foundation to help both students and teachers with free school items or gift cards. Find how to get school backpacks from corporate give aways . Low cost school supplies, clothes, backpacks , and uniforms are available too. If not qualified for free stuff, struggling households can also buy affordable school supplies as many other charities also provide low cost or discounted supplies. There are places for low income families to shop at, such as bargain thrift stores or clothing closets near you. These sites will sell gently used goods, ranging from uniforms to backpacks, clothing, computers, shoes, laptops, and more. Find locations of inexpensive school supplies and uniforms .

Find local free school uniforms, supplies, and backpack giveaways near you

Most states and counties have local charities, often called clothing closets, that giveaway free backpacks full of school supplies as well as other stuff to kids. There are non-profits, churches and other places that have free back to school supply events for students. Find a city or county below for items you need . They give low income as well as struggling families free items, including school supplies, hygiene items, and other stuff for the school year. They assist students with their educational needs, and a list of cities and counties are below.

Jefferson County Alabama

Greater Birmingham area free school supply giveaways

Madison County

Mobile County

Arizona

Maricopa County

Maricopa County and Phoenix school supply giveaways

Pima County

Pinal County

Arkansas

Little Rock and Pulaski County

Washington and Benton County

California Alameda County free school supply giveaway

Contra Costa County

Fresno County

Kern County

Los Angeles

Los Angeles free school supply assistance

Northern California

region

Orange County CA

Orange County CA free school supply programs

Placer County

Riverside Sacramento Sacramento city and county free school supply programs

San Bernardino

San Bernardino County free school supply giveaway

San Diego

San Diego County school supply giveaway San Francisco City and County free school supply giveaways

Santa Barbara County

Stanislaus County

Tulare County

Ventura

Arapahoe County

Denver Denver free school supply giveaway

El Paso County

Connecticut

Fairfield County

Hartford Hartford County free school supply giveaways

New Haven

Delaware

New Castle County

School supply giveaways in New Castle County

Brevard County

Broward County

Collier County

Hillsborough County and Tampa

Hillsborough - Pinellas County free school supply giveaways Jacksonville Duval County free school supply giveaways

Lee County

Marion County

Miami Dade

Miami free school supply giveaway events

Northeast Florida

Northwest Florida

Orange County and Orlando

Orlando area free school supply giveaways

Palm Beach

Palm Beach County free school supply giveaway

Pasco County

Pinellas County

Polk County

Port St. Lucie and St. Lucie County Sarasota Georgia Atlanta Atlanta free giveaway events

Central Georgia

region Augusta and Richmond area

Southeastern Georgia

Illinois

Champaign County

Chicago area Free school supply giveaways in Chicago Free school supply giveaways in DuPage, Will, and Kane County

Dupage County

Kane County

Lake County

Madison County

McHenry County

Will County

Indiana Eastern, northern, and central region.

Marion County

School supply giveaways in Indianapolis Southwest portion of state. More .

Des Moines and Polk County

Kansas

Johnson County

Free school supply programs in Kansas City

Sedgwick County

Shawnee County

Kentucky Boone, Campbell, and Kenton County

Fayette County

Jefferson County and Louisville

Louisiana

Baton Rogue

New Orleans

Maine

Cumberland County

Maryland

Anne Arundel County

Baltimore Free school giveaways in Baltimore City and County

Montgomery County

Price George County

Massachusetts Boston Suffolk and Middlesex County free school supply giveaways

Essex County

Middlesex County

Norfolk County

Springfield Hampden County and Spring free school supply programs Worcester Michigan Detroit

Flint and Genesee County

Kent County

Macomb County

Oakland County

Saginaw County

Upper Michigan

Minnesota

Dakota County

Minneapolis

  • Entire state.

Click here .

Boone County and Columbia

Kansas City

St. Louis

Omaha and Douglas County

Nevada

Las Vegas

Las Vegas and Clark County free school supply giveaway

Washoe County

New Hampshire

Hillsborough County

Rockingham County

New Jersey

Bergen County

Camden County

Essex County

Newark and Essex County free school supply giveaway

Hudson County and Jersey City

Middlesex County

Monmouth County

Morris County

Ocean County

New Mexico

Albuquerque

New York

Albany County and City

Broome County

Buffalo and Erie County

Erie County NY free school supply giveaways

Nassau and Suffolk County

New York City

NYC free school supply events Rochester Rochester and Monroe County New York free school supply giveaway events

Syracuse and Onondaga County

Westchester County

North Carolina

Asheville area, including Buncombe, Henderson, and Polk .

Cabarrus County

Charlotte Charlotte area free school supply giveaways

Eastern North Carolina

counties. Raleigh Raleigh Durham free school supply giveaways Triad, Guilford and Forsyth County area Winston Salem and Greensboro area free school supply events

Butler County

Cincinnati

Clermont County

Cleveland Events and giveaways in the city and surrounding area, including nearby counties Find Cleveland regional school supply giveaways .

Franklin County

There are several free back to school supply giveaways too, and locate free school supplies in Columbus Ohio .

Summit County

Toledo

Cleveland and Canadian County

area

Oklahoma City

Oklahoma County free school supply giveaway Tulsa Tulsa area free school supply assistance programs

Marion County

Portland Portland area free school supply giveaway , including Washington, Multnomah, and Clackamas County.

Washington County

Pennsylvania

Allegheny County

Pittsburgh and Allegheny County free school supply giveaways

Beaver County

Berks County

Centre County including State College

Harrisburg area including Cumberland and Dauphin County

Lancaster County

Lehigh County

Northampton County

Philadelphia Philadelphia free school supply giveaways

Westmoreland County

York County

Rhode Island

Providence

South Carolina

Charleston area, including all surrounding counties. Charleston school supply giveaways

Columbia and Richland County

Greenville Greenville County free school supply giveaways Horry, Georgetown and Florence .

South Dakota

South Dakota

  • Clothing closets for entire state

Tennessee

Davidson County and Nashville

Hamilton County and Chattanooga

Knox County

Knox County TN free school supply programs Memphis Free school supplies in Shelby County

Sullivan County

Texas Austin Travis County and Austin free school supply giveaways

Bexar County

San Antonio and Bexar County free school supply giveaways

Brazoria County

Cameron and Hidalgo

Collin County

Dallas Dallas and Fort Worth TX area free school supply giveaways

El Paso County

El Paso free school supply giveaways Houston Harris County free school supply giveaways Lubbock

Southeastern Texas

region

Tarrant County

Utah

Salt Lake

Utah County and Provo

Virginia

Arlington County

Fairfax

Henrico County

Prince William County

Virginia Beach

Washington

Clark County WA and Vancouver

Pierce County

Seattle Seattle and King County free school supply giveaway

Snohomish County

Spokane County

Washington DC

West Virginia

Kanawha County and Charleston

Free school clothing and supply vouchers in WV

Brown County

Dane County

Free school supply giveaways in Dane County and Madison Milwaukee Free school supply assistance in Milwaukee area Waukesha, Jefferson, Walworth Wyoming (Statewide)

Need additional information on school supply giveaways?

Please send us an email @ . Please be sure to include your email address and state. The information is needed to send a reply on local back to school supply assistance programs in your area. Also search for stuff. For a comprehensive listing of additional non-profit organizations to contact, use the search bar at the bottom of this page. As there are numerous other charitable groups that may distribute gift certificates, school supplies and other items. The distribution options to search for would include clothing closets, thrift stores, churches, and local non-profits.