10 places where you can get free school supplies for your kids in the metro-east

Kelly Smits
·6 min read

It’s back-to-school season, and that means stocking up on school supplies for the year ahead.

Back-to-school spending is expected to reach record levels this year as families with kids in K-12 plan to spend an average of about $890, according to the National Retail Federation.

Many families, however, cannot afford this hefty bill. According to County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, about 20% of children in St. Clair County live in poverty.

If you’re struggling with back-to-school expenses, there are several upcoming events in the metro-east where you can get school supplies for free, if you need them.

If you want to donate school supplies, there are also many upcoming drives to choose from.

Here’s our running list of school supply donation drives and giveaways, in order by date. Do you know of one we should add? Email News Intern Kelly Smits at ksmits@bnd.com.

We Are Family Community Giveaway

  • Saturday, Aug. 5

  • 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

  • Cahokia High School parking lot, 800 Range Lane, Cahokia, IL 62206

Esther Serving the Nations is hosting a community giveaway providing free food, hygiene kits, shoes, mental health resources, life skills, free haircuts, singing and words of inspiration and more. The event is sponsored by the Salvation Army, the Urban League of Metro St. Louis, World Vision, All Nana’s Kids Closet, the East St. Louis NAACP, SIHF Healthcare, Hut 1 Hut Foods, Community Life Line, National Pan-Hellenic Council, St. Clair County Coroner, Our Brothers Keepers of Southern Illinois, Association of Black Law Enforcement, TACS, St. Clair County Regional Office of Education, Lee’s Catering, June Bug Catering, LA Customs and Miracle Miracles Barber School.

East St. Louis Annual Back to School Event

  • Saturday, Aug. 5

  • 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

  • Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center, 101 Jackie Joyner-Kersee Circle, East St. Louis, IL 62204

The Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation is partnering with Focusonthecity.org, Ameren Illinois and Molina Healthcare on the East St. Louis Annual Back to School Event. They’re giving away free clear and regular backpacks, books, clothing and sporting goods. The child must be present to receive a backpack. There will also be raffles for an HD TV, a Chromebook laptop and four $50 gift cards.

See details on the right side of Focusonthecity.org for how you can donate money via Paypal or CashApp or backpacks via DollarDays, Bags In Bulk or Amazon.

Craig Blac’s Community Cuts for Kids

  • Sunday, Aug. 6

  • 1-4 p.m.

  • Belleville Kappa House, 802 W. C Street, Belleville, IL 62220

The Burton & Craig Shields Foundation is hosting the 22nd annual Craig Blac’s Community Cuts for Kids providing haircuts for boys and styling for girls. School supplies and book bags will also be available while they last. Appointments are strongly encouraged as limited walk-ins will be taken. For more details and to register, visit thecraigshieldsfoundation.org/.

M.A.M. Cares and Logan & Logan Annual Back to School Giveaway

  • Sunday, Aug. 6

  • 2-5 p.m.

  • 400 N. Belt West, Belleville, IL 62226

M.A.M. Cares in partnership with Logan & Logan, LLC is hosting their annual back to school giveaway with free food, backpacks, school supplies and a raffle. The Dental Safari Company will also be on site to provide dental exams.

NGRREC Back-to-School Supply Drive

  • Aug. 4-10 (prize drawing at Aug. 8 event)

  • 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

  • Jerry F. Costello Field Station, One Confluence Way, East Alton, IL 62024

The National Great Rivers Research and Education Center is hosting a back-to-school supply drive to benefit the Oasis Women’s Center in Alton. Supplies can be dropped at the front desk of the Jerry F. Costello Field Station during NGRREC’s office hours.

Here are the supplies needed: backpacks, lunch boxes, Crayola crayons (24 count), pencil boxes, Five Star composition notebooks, erasers, Kleenex facial tissues, hand sanitizer, EXPO dry erase markers, Elmer’s glue sticks, headphones, Fiskars scissors, Sharpie highlighters, pocket folders, three-ring binders, #2 pencils and pencil sharpeners.

NGRREC is holding a Local Legislator Neighbor Nights event Aug. 8, and guests are encouraged to bring a donation. Those who donate to the drive by Aug. 8 will have their names added to a prize drawing at the event.

Chestnut MetroLink Back- to-School Community Event

  • Thursday, Aug. 10

  • 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

  • Belleville MetroLink station, 718 Scheel St., Belleville, IL 62220

The Chestnut Health Systems MetroLink team is partnering with the St. Clair County Transit District to host a back-to-school event to give away school supplies. The Chestnut mobile health unit will also be available to provide physicals. Appointments are not required, but to reduce wait time, schedule an appointment by calling (618) 512-1863. Chestnut health navigators will be available as well to discuss Chestnut Family Health Center services and answer basic health-related questions.

You can donate notebooks, pencils, crayons, glue, glue sticks, book bags and folders at the following locations prior to the event:

  • Chestnut Health Systems: 50 Northgate Industrial Drive, Granite City, IL; 12 N. 64th St., Belleville, IL; 2148 Vadalabene Drive, Maryville, IL

  • Carrollton Bank: 1575 N. Green Mount Road, O’Fallon, IL

  • Caseyville VFW: 415 N. Long St. Caseyville, Il

  • Collinsville Police Department: 200 W. Clay St., Collinsville, IL

  • Fairview Heights Police Department: 10027 Bunkum Road, Fairview Heights, IL

  • Troy Fire Department: 116 W. Clay St., Troy, IL

  • O’Fallon VFW: 221 W. First St., O’Fallon, IL

  • Scott VFW Post 4183: 1516 Old State Route 158, Belleville, IL

  • Swansea Police Department: 1400 N. Illinois St., Swansea, IL

Brandon E. Scott Back to School Giveaway

  • Saturday, Aug. 12

  • 12 p.m. until all supplies are gone

  • 5600 Forest Blvd., East St. Louis, IL 62204

The Village of Washington Park will hold its 3rd annual back to school giveaway, which Mayor Leonard Moore renamed in honor of his great nephew Brandon E. Scott who was shot and killed in his home July 3 at age 10. The location is the lot across the street from the old police, fire and public works departments.

DraftKings at Casino Queen Cares Back-to-School Supply Drive

  • Aug. 1-13

  • DraftKings at Casino Queen, 200 Front Street, East St. Louis, IL 62201

DraftKings at Casino Queen Cares is hosting a back-to-school supply drive benefiting East St. Louis School District 189. Drop-off boxes are located at the hotel front desk, players club and security turnstiles. The full school supply list is available here. Clear backpacks, which are required for all students in the district, are especially needed. Donated items will be dropped off at the Family and Community Engagement Center or Board of Education for distribution to the students most in need.

NSL’s Annual Back-to-School Give-A-Way

  • Saturday, Aug. 19

  • 1 p.m. until they run out

  • New Shining Light HDN Church, 740 Broadway, Venice, IL 62090

New Shining Light is hosting its 27th annual back-to-school give-a-way for students at all levels (preschool, elementary school, middle school, high school, college, vocational and GED) and from all over. No ID required.

Center for Racial Harmony’s School Supply Drive

The Center for Racial Harmony in Belleville is collecting school supplies that will be distributed to children in Belleville School District 118. Members of the public who want to contribute supplies should call Racial Harmony’s office at 618-234-0508 or board member Paula Jones at 618-558-4464. The supplies will be given to the district, which will distribute them to all of their schools. Parents in the district should let their school know what they need.