Tarrant County organizations equip families with resources as first day of school approaches

Fort Worth resident Amelia Muñoz and her 9-year-old daughter Natalia sorted through the backpack selection at Walmart near East Berry Street.

In just a few weeks, Natalia will be a fourth grader at Uplift Meridian Preparatory. This is her first year attending a charter school. The school’s 15-item supply list was longer than when Natalia was in public school, Muñoz said.

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School districts know the weeks leading up to the first day can be tough for students and parents. Organizations across Tarrant County are working to make the back-to-school process easier for families by providing giveaways, emotional support tools and other resources.

The Back to School Roundup offers free services to Tarrant County families.

When: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on August 4

Where: Tarrant County College South Campus, 5301 Campus Drive in Fort Worth

Back to School Roundup president Joshua Willis knows returning to the classroom can impact a family’s budget. The event has provided low-income families in Tarrant County with free resources for the past 18 years.

The Back to School Roundup is scheduled for 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 4 at Tarrant County College South Campus in Fort Worth.

Students receive school supplies, sports physicals, dental and visual screenings, immunizations and haircuts at the Back to School Roundup — all for free, Willis said.

The event will give priority to families who signed up, but Willis said families will not be turned away if they show up.

“It’s a one-stop shop for families,” Willis said. “If you haven’t registered yet, come out anyway and get supplies and the benefits of all the social services that we have within the county.”

Schools across Tarrant County start throughout August. Visit our website here for a list of start dates.

Fort Worth resident Adriana Venegas is a mother of four children and said it’s been hard keeping up with the increase in prices. Her daughter, Isabella Castillo, will start school Aug. 7 at IDEA Southeast. Her other children will be attending classes in Fort Worth ISD starting Aug. 14.

Tax-free weekend, from Aug. 11 to 13, exempts consumers from sales tax on certain items.

Here’s what qualifies:

To save on money, she has prioritized school shopping based on when her children will start.

“We’re going to keep waiting a little bit,” she said, with a chuckle.

Tax-free weekend is Aug. 11 to 13, and is another way families can save on money. Families are exempt from sales tax on anything from school supplies to clothes as long as the items are less than $100.

“One-stop shops” like the Back to School Roundup take place across different parts of Tarrant County, but summers can be just as busy for families to hunt down each of these events, said Sara Redington, Miles Foundation’s chief philanthropy officer.

Redington co-leads the Best Place for Kids Initiative and helped launch Parent Pass in October 2022, an app full of family and student resources. She said families can use the app to search for back-to-school events.

“We have thousands of free and low-cost events and services for families,” she said. Most events require registration, but the app makes it easy for families to go through that process, she added.

Families can search “back to school” in the “Neighborhood Events Calendar.”

The app also offers at-home activities for families to help their kids get back into the groove of school, Redington said.

Families can search for “checklist” to get two week’s worth of activities, in English and Spanish. The resources are for pre-K to third-grade students.

Isabella, the IDEA student, will be attending a new school. Not only is she worried about paying attention after the long summer vacation, her mom said she’s a little worried about starting at a new school.

“Just getting ready for the whole thing and that I have to go and find my classes,” she said.

The Back to School Drive is hosted by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County.

When: 12–2 p.m. on August 5

Where: North Fort Worth Boys & Girls Club, 2000 Ellis Ave., in Fort Worth

My Health My Resources of Tarrant County offers over-the-phone assistance to help families navigate their back-to-school journey, said Laura Kender, the organization’s chief of children and family services.

My Health My Resources connects families with a navigator who can direct them to daycare services, after-school programs or supply giveaways.

“A navigator will talk through services with families and help connect them to the resources,” she said. “If families have specific specialty needs, we can hand them off to a navigator that can address that issue.”

My Health My Resources has two programs that serve families: Help Me Grow helps families with children up to 6 and Help Me Thrive serves families with children 6 and older.

Navigators also can point families to mental health resources. Navigators take into account families that are insured and not when connecting them with a professional.

Catherine Carlton, My Health My Resources chief of staff, said navigators will follow up with families to ensure they have all the information they need.

Navigators from both programs are available 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Families can call Help Me Grow at 844-689-5437 and Help Me Thrive at 844-689-8336.

If a family is experiencing a mental health concern, they can call the My Health My Resources crisis line at 800-866-2465. The line is open 24/7.

Summer is coming to an end, but Natalia, the Uplift student, is ready to start at her new school.

“I’m excited to make friends,” the 9-year-old said. “I’m excited about meeting a new teacher.”

Disclosure: The Miles Foundation has been a financial supporter of the Fort Worth Report. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.

Marcela Sanchez is a reporting fellow for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at [email protected] or via Twitter.

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by Marcela Sanchez, Fort Worth Report August 2, 2023

Marcela Sanchez is a 2023 summer reporting fellow. She’s a North Texas native pursuing a master's in journalism, media and globalization from Aarhus University in Denmark and Charles University in the... More by Marcela Sanchez