Back-to-school shopping can be expensive. Teen Central wants to help lessen the financial burden on families, so the nonprofit is hosting Pack-a-Backpack Day, inviting children in kindergarten through grade 12 to fill a backpack with school supplies.

People are invited to bring their own backpacks to fill with a variety of supplies on Monday, Aug. 5, and Tuesday, Aug. 6, at Teen Central, 15 S. Wolf St., Manheim. The event will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. each evening, and people do not need to preregister.

Available items will include school supplies like pencils, pens, notebooks, binders, crayons, scissors and rulers, along with personal care items such as body wash, shampoo and deodorant.

This is the first time Teen Central had held an event like this, and it's a great way to extend the organization's mission, said Janelle Heying, executive director.

"We are looking forward to this new way to serve students in our community," she said. "The goal of this event is to provide free school supplies and hygiene items to students across all grade levels in the Manheim Central School District. In doing so, it is our hope to help meet some back-to-school needs for local families while also exposing our neighbors to our building and ministry here in Manheim."

Teen Central is a faith-based nonprofit that offers a variety of resources for youths. The organization's mission is to provide positive activities, mentoring relationships and promotion of social, intellectual, emotional and spiritual growth.

Heying said staff members are excited about a new way to support students in their community. "We understand that there is a lot that comes along with back-to-school shopping. From potentially purchasing new clothes, shoes, technology, school supplies and other needed items for students to excel during the school year, the cost can pile up quick," she stated. "Through Pack-a-Backpack Day, Teen Central hopes that we are able to give local families a head start with their back-to-school needs. We encourage people to attend to see what items may be helpful in checking some objects off of their shopping lists."

Families can enjoy snow cones at the backpack event, and information about Teen Central programs will also be shared.

As with all Teen Central programming, there is no charge to receive the backpack supplies. "We are very thankful for the support of local churches, organizations, community members and small businesses who have come alongside this idea of ours and are helping to make the event possible," Heying shared. "My prayer is that through this experience, parents and students will feel the love of Christ and know that Teen Central is a great resource available to them within our community."

For more information on Teen Central, visit https://teencentralmanheim.org.