Moms Helping Moms organizing backpack giveaway, clothing swap ahead of school year

MOSES LAKE — As families prepare for the start of the school year, the volunteer group Moms Helping Moms of Grant County is hosting a backpack giveaway and clothing swap this weekend to help families who may have missed other back-to-school events because of work schedules. 

The event will be held from 2 p.m. until people stop showing up on Sunday at Rick's Bar and Grill in Moses Lake. Organizers plan to distribute around 50 backpacks filled with basic school supplies while also offering free clothing, shoes and other items for children and families. 

Moms Helping Moms Administrator Jeannie Austin-Cook said the idea originated with fellow administrator Ryan Hawn after several working parents reached out seeking help. 

"There's a lot of backpack giveaways, which is great in the community," Austin-Cook said. "But they're often during the week or during times that moms or dads work." 

Austin-Cook said some parents told organizers they were unable to attend existing giveaways because they were juggling multiple jobs, childcare responsibilities and other commitments. 

The event began as a back-to-school clothing swap but expanded when organizers received donations and financial contributions from community members. 

"We weren't promising any school supplies," Austin-Cook said. "So, it really started as a back-to-school clothing swap, but we were able to achieve 50 backpacks." 

Using donated funds and bargain shopping, volunteers assembled backpacks stocked with folders, composition notebooks, supply boxes, crayons, colored pencils, glue, scissors, erasers, highlighters and other classroom essentials. 

In addition to backpacks, organizers have collected new and gently used clothing, shoes, boots, hats and gloves ranging from infant sizes to adult sizes. 

Families are encouraged to bring clean clothing their children have outgrown and exchange them for items that better fit their needs. 

"We've got new shoes, we have new clothes, we have used clothes," Austin-Cook said. "A grown person can use some of it. It's really for everybody." 

Although approximately 50 backpacks have already been reserved for families who contacted the group, Austin-Cook said organizers will continue helping families who still need supplies. Anyone seeking assistance can contact Moms Helping Moms of Grant County through Facebook, message Austin-Cook or Hawn directly, or stop by Sunday's event. Those who have reserved are first priority, Austin-Cook said.  

"If we can't help, we will get them to someone who can," Austin-Cook said, noting the group works closely with other local organizations and community resources. 

The group is also continuing to accept donations of school supplies, backpacks and clothing through Saturday and, if needed, right up until the event begins. Donations can be coordinated through the Moms Helping Moms Facebook page, dropped off at the Columbia Basin Herald office from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or brought to Bella Vita Coffee during open hours, Austin-Cook said. 

Austin-Cook credited community support for making the event possible. 

"Thank you for trusting us," she said. "Thank you for always jumping in. Thank you for giving when they didn't have to." 

Founded in 2018, Moms Helping Moms of Grant County connects families in need with community members willing to provide assistance. Austin-Cook said the group's mission is built around creating connections between people who want to help and those who need support. 

"There are hundreds of people in that group that show up and support and are always there to help someone in need," she said. 

Organizers said families who still need backpacks, school supplies or clothing are encouraged to reach out before Sunday's event, so volunteers can better assess needs and connect them with available resources.