SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — Schools across Northwest Arkansas are now passing out the supplies they’ve gathered throughout the summer.

One of those districts is Siloam Springs. The district is distributing school supplies through a drive-through at the Siloam Springs Intermediate School on Thursday, August 4 from four to six p.m.

The Bright Futures program is distributing the supplies. Its coordinator, Tiffany Hansen, said the 900 kids they’re giving supplies to is a lot more than usual.

Typically the district helps around 600 students.

Hansen said with a growing number of struggling families in Siloam Springs, she expects the need for support to continue throughout the school year.

“Even three weeks in or four weeks in or even four months in we have students who need backpacks and school supplies for various reasons. So we’re here all year round. This just starts the year out for all the students who need them when they’re walking into their class for the first time,” said Hansen.

Hansen said the supplies comes from donations from local businesses, churches, and Fill the Bus. She said volunteers have been busy packing backpacks specific to each kid’s back to school list.

“It’s rewarding for everybody. I know when I talk to some of our folks who have volunteered, and a lot of those are even teachers themselves or our school counselors, it just gets everybody excited and really ready to go,” said Hansen.

Along with getting out the school supplies to each kid who signed up this year, there’ll be other organizations in the drive-through line letting parents know about other community resources. This includes Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Manna Center.

If you need support during the costly back to school time, you can reach out to Bright Futures and these other resources as well.

The first day back for Siloam Springs Schools is August 15.