McDonald’s restaurants are donating 3,000 backpacks to the Back-to-School Fair to be held Saturday, Aug. 3, at Kansas City Kansas Community College, 7250 State Ave.
The 20th annual Wyandotte County Back-to-School Fair will be held from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Aug. 3, at KCKCC’s main campus. Students who live in Wyandotte County and attend public or private schools may receive items such as backpacks and supplies for free at this event. There also will be immunizations, physical exams, eye exams, haircuts and the opportunity to get information from a variety of community organizations. The Kansas City, Kansas, Public Library will distribute books to children. Parents should bring proof of residence in Wyandotte County, such as a driver’s license or a utility bill, and children must be accompanied by their parents.
Cassandra Savage, owner-operator of the McDonald’s restaurants at 7530 State Ave. and at 4101 Kansas Ave. in Kansas City, Kansas, said this tradition of donating backpacks started last year. The Back-to-School Fair went without a backpack donor for some years previously before McDonald’s Great Plains Co-op stepped forward.
“We donated over 9,000 backpacks to Kansas City, Kansas, and Kansas City, Missouri, school districts this year, in total,” Savage said.
“As an owner-operator, we’ve always felt a sense of responsibility to our community,” Savage said. “McDonald’s has been one of those franchises that has always been involved.”
The restaurant also sponsors “Coffee With a Cop” and “Teacher Nights,” as well as other community events, she said.
“Every single one of our owner-operators, all franchisees, are dedicated to supporting the communities,” she said.
Savage said she recently went school supply shopping with her grandson and noticed how many items were on the list and their cost.
“The parents are very appreciative of the backpacks,” she said.
McDonald’s employs students from local high schools and from KCKCC, and works closely with high school counselors, she added.
For more information about the Back-to-School Fair, individuals may visit www.facebook.com/WyandotteCountyBackToSchoolFair.