Tools for School is designed primarily to serve students who qualify for free and reduced-price lunch in the Dixon Public School District. Organizers explained that receiving a new backpack and school supplies helps students start the school year with confidence while easing the financial burden on families. Over the years, the event has expanded beyond school supplies, bringing together numerous community organizations that offer information about services and programs available to local families.
Preparing for the annual event is a year-round effort. Volunteers spend months planning before gathering to organize supplies, pack materials and prepare the venue in the days leading up to distribution.
This year’s Tools for School event will be held Thursday, Aug. 6, at the Elks Lodge, 1270 Franklin Grove Road in Dixon. Distribution will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and again from 4 to 6 p.m. Families will check in before selecting backpacks and receiving school supplies, then have the opportunity to visit community resource booths throughout the event.
To better serve students with sensory sensitivities, organizers are once again offering dedicated sensory shopping times before each distribution session. Families can register through the organization’s Facebook page, where available appointment times will be coordinated in advance. Organizers said the quieter shopping periods allow students who may become overwhelmed by large crowds to choose their own backpacks and supplies comfortably.
Although the program primarily serves Dixon Public School students, the volunteers emphasized that they have never turned away a family seeking assistance. Their mission is to help children who need support, regardless of circumstances.
Last year, the organization provided backpacks and school supplies to approximately 580 students. The support continues long after the annual event, with volunteers delivering supplies to families throughout the school year and ensuring local schools have backpacks and materials available for students who enroll after classes begin.
Community support remains essential to the program’s success. Monetary donations allow organizers to purchase supplies in bulk, while donations of backpacks, notebooks, pencils, crayons, markers and other classroom essentials are always welcomed. Middle school and high school backpacks are especially needed because they are more expensive and often in shorter supply.
Donations can be dropped off at the Dixon Public Schools Central Office, while supporters can also contact organizers through the Tools for School Facebook page to arrange donations or pickups. The organization also encourages participation in its weekly “$5 Friday” campaign, reminding community members that every contribution helps prepare another student for school.
Several local businesses and organizations also host backpack and school supply drives each year, helping replenish inventory before the event. Volunteers are equally important, with opportunities available to sort supplies, pack backpacks, assist families during distribution, and help with setup and cleanup. Sauk Valley Community College IMPACT students also volunteer to earn service hours while supporting the event.
All three organizers are educators at Washington Elementary School in Dixon, where they see firsthand how access to school supplies affects student success. Their involvement began as volunteers before eventually taking over leadership of the program and expanding both its reach and community partnerships.
The organizers also recognized the many businesses and organizations that continue supporting the initiative, including BorgWarner, Donaldson, the Vendettas backpack drive, Furology, the Dixon Family YMCA and Midland States Bank, all of which help collect donations or host supply drives throughout the summer.
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