PORTSMOUTH, Va. — With summer coming to a close, many Portsmouth families are turning their attention to school supply lists, and the growing cost of checking off every item.
To help ease the burden, local organizations are stepping in with giveaways and events aimed at making sure students are stocked up and ready for the new year.
“If the kids have the tools they need to perform in school, then they’ll perform,” said Eugene Swinson with Big Homies Inc., a community nonprofit based in Portsmouth. “So pretty much, just try to pick up some of the slack for some of the parents.”
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Backpacks, folders, pencils and other classroom essentials were distributed during a recent event at Festival Park.
For students like Kahrii Hudson, a rising eighth grader at Churchland Middle School, it was both a fun day out and a chance to prepare for the school year.
“I went to the waterpark, amusement parks — that was most of the stuff this summer,” Hudson said.
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While he’ll miss the break, he’s looking forward to getting back to class and playing football.
What's his advice for other Portsmouth students?
“Do your work and stay focused,” he said.
Parents are feeling the pinch this year more than ever. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, new tariff rates and inflation have contributed to higher prices for basic school supplies, with the cost of a standard backpack now nearly 30% higher than it was before the pandemic.
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Whitney Sease, a Portsmouth mom of four, said free supply events have made a major difference for her family.
“They got a very big pack of paper, and pencils and everything,” she said. “So this is a big help.”
Portsmouth Public Schools are set to begin classes on Aug. 18.
