Back to School Jam provides book bags and school supplies to area students

Ryan Anderson, The Daily Citizen, Dalton, Ga.
·3 min read

Aug. 9—Families battling inflation received an assist Saturday from the Dalton-Whitfield NAACP and Shaw Industries, as children who attended the Back to School Jam at the Mack Gaston Community Center were able to pick up book bags full of school supplies.

"It's hard for everybody right now, so this is very important," said Alice Higginbotham, who attended with her husband and three children who attend Dug Gap Elementary School. "It helps a lot of people."

"Every little bit helps, with the way things are now, and this is a really good thing they're doing," said Eric Tardie, who brought his three sons who all attend schools in the Dalton Public Schools system. "We needed the backpacks, that was the main thing (for us)."

This is "good for the community and makes (back-to-school shopping) a lot easier on us," said Michael Knight, who brought his children Luke and Katie who attend schools in the Murray County Schools system. "It helps people out, especially with inflation and everything."

In the 12 months through June, consumer inflation rose 9.1%, the largest increase in more than 40 years, and the average amount spent per child for back-to-school shopping is up 8%, to $661, from last year — and up 27% from 2019 — with 60% of the 1,200 parents surveyed by a recent Deloitte poll saying they're spending more because prices are higher.

Thirty-six percent of 2,178 U.S. parents surveyed said they can afford back-to-school shopping for their children this year, down from 52% last year, according to a recent Morning Consult survey. Some 37% of parents this year described themselves as "stressed" about back-to-school shopping, up five percentage points from 2021.

"So many are struggling right now with inflation and COVID(-19) recovery, and it's important to give back in our community to people in need," said Marisa Kelley, president of the Dalton-Whitfield NAACP. "An education is probably the most important thing a young person can have."

Whitfield County Schools started the 2022-23 school year Friday, Dalton Public Schools will on Tuesday and Murray County Schools begins Sept. 6.

Part of Shaw's "mission is making an impact in the community," so the company not only provided school supplies and backpacks Saturday but also manpower in the form of volunteers, said Eva Rodriguez, a Shaw employee relations and outreach specialist.

"We know there is definitely a need — families were here two hours before we started today — and we want to help build a better community."

There was also food, music, a bounce house, free haircuts and the splash pad was open at the Mack Gaston Community Center. CLILA (the Coalition of Latino Leaders), Books for Change USA, the Girl Scout Council of Northwest Georgia and the United Way of Northwest Georgia also contributed to the event.

"We thought this sounded great, and I'm glad to see positive things like this for kids and families," said Higginbotham. "There's a lot more (for families) in Dalton than in other areas in" this region.