Orlando community helps families get ready for school with free supplies

It’s almost time for kids to head back to the classroom.

Inflation is making it even tougher for families to get school supplies.

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On Saturday, organizations across Central Florida held back-to-school events to help those in need.

At Audubon Village in Orlando, students got free backpacks stuffed with supplies they’ll need to succeed.

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“I really needed this stuff for my classes! Two notebooks and two folders. Thank you so much,” said student Jason Gomez. “This means a lot to me. Like really a lot. Some notebooks and rulers. Yes, I can finally color. Yeah, I’m ready for school totally.”

At the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida, the non profit group The Greatest Commandment Inc. handed out school supplies, a $50 gift card per family, and also provided haircuts to make sure students head into the new school year with confidence.

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“Here at the coalition, there are 97 total children, there are about 60 of them that are school-aged,” said the president of The Greatest Commandment Inc., Alex Evans. “There’s nothing better than seeing kids happy. We just want people to feel good, so they can excel in school.”

“There are a lot of kids out there. They can’t afford these. And I’m really grateful for our community for being really generous and nice,” Gomez added.

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Don’t forget - Florida’s back-to-school tax-free holiday ends on Sunday.

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