Waukegan library distributes free supplies at Back to School Bash; ‘We are committed to … alleviating some of the financial strain on parents’

Patricia Lino spends a lot of time at the Waukegan Public Library with her four school-age children. When it was time Saturday to get backpacks filled with school supplies, she made sure they were all there engaging in crafts and getting ready for the first day of school.

Though one of the youngsters said their favorite time at school was recess and her sister liked lunch best, the quartet were checking out the contents of their backpacks and talking about the start of school two days away.

“We come to the library every day in the summer,” Lino said. “There are a lot of things to do here. Today, we were able to come and get school supplies, too.”

Lino and her children were among scores of families receiving free backpacks filled with school supplies and partaking of other activities Saturday at the Waukegan Public Library’s Back to School Bash.

Some of the families at the bash, along with other library patrons, took advantage of a book sale conducted by the Friends of the Waukegan Public Library where children’s books were 50 cents, adult books $1 and other materials like videos also $1.

Mary Rose Strubbe, a member of the friends and the book sale organizer, said anyone attending the sale could bring a reusable shopping bag or take one given out by the library and fill it with all the books and other items that fit for $5.

While Lino said the library provided intellectual benefits for her children, Jennyfer Cordova, the library’s communications and community engagement manager, said there are other reasons families and teens spend time there.

“It’s a place that’s free, safe and there’s free lunch for the children every day Monday through Friday, from the day school lets out until it starts again,” she said. “Some don’t have internet at home, and they can connect here.”

Library Executive Director Tiffany Verzani said that along with the donation of backpacks filled with school supplies from United Way of Lake County, the library added some of its own for any overflow. There was, so she decided to make an event of the afternoon.

Adding the book sale of volumes retired by the library or donated from the community, Verzani said she invited community organizations to staff tables around the large room where the backpacks were distributed.

“This is an opportunity for families to get the school supplies they need,”  she said. “These community groups and agencies offer a lot of services. The families can see what kind of support they offer.”

As families walked past the tables where the backpacks were placed — more than 100 people were in line before the room’s doors opened at 2 p.m. — the children picked the one with their favorite color.

Concerned the United Way backpacks would not be enough for the anticipated crowd — they were gone in just over 30 minutes — Verzani said there were library backpacks with a drawstring filled with school supplies available for the remainder of the day.

Gale Graves, the vice president of community impact for United Way of Lake County, said in an email the organization supplied 100 backpacks for the event as part of its annual Stuff the Bus school supply effort. Those supplies went to schools and organizations around the county.

“We are committed to preparing students for the first day of school, and alleviating some of the financial strain on parents,” Graves said in the email. “Volunteers from companies and partners come together and pack book bags with supplies that are then donated to (schools and) local organizations to distribute.”

Parents like Lino, Shannon Elizalde and Orlando Wade with four youngsters, Guadalupe Gomez with three and others at the event with large families said they are thankful for the opportunity to get the supplies for all their children.

“This is a time of year with increased pressure getting the kids ready for school,” Elizalde said. “This is really appreciated.”

Strubbe said the book sale is one of the ways the organization raises money to fund programs for the library that are not part of its annual budget.

“We get a lot of local teachers getting books and resources for their classrooms,” Strubbe said. “This will help us get ready for our annual sale Nov. 15.”

Originally Published: August 12, 2024 at 12:10 p.m.