By Kamira LaNay
Correspondent
Texas Metro News
As families prepare for the start of a new school year, U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett brought together community organizations, health care providers and volunteers for her annual Back-to-School Resource Fair, giving families access to much more than backpacks.
Held Saturday, the event offered free school supplies, haircuts, health screenings, food assistance and information from local organizations, all with the goal of helping children and their families start the school year on the right foot.
For Crockett, the event has always been about looking beyond what students carry on their backs. “The success of a child is a lot bigger than a backpack,” she said, adding that she wanted to create something “more comprehensive and inclusive of the family as a whole.”
Crockett said the idea came from seeing the unique challenges families in her district face, including food insecurity and limited access to health care. Instead of hosting a traditional backpack giveaway, she wanted to create an event where parents could receive resources alongside their children.
The fair featured health screenings, free haircuts and food distribution, while dozens of community partners connected families with programs available throughout the year.
Attendees said the variety of resources made the event stand out. Bridget Ellis attended the fair with her five children, including three adopted children and two foster children. Ellis said she initially expected a backpack giveaway but left with much more.
“I think the event was spectacular,” Ellis said. “I learned a lot of information on some stuff that had nothing to do with back to school that I was actually interested in.”
Crystal Hamilton of It’s About the Kids Mentoring Program said serving the community is what inspired her to participate.
“I love the community. I love people, and I just want to see our community grow and everybody come together and get the kids ready to go back to school,” Hamilton said.
Before wrapping up the event, Crockett reflected on the advice she would give her younger self as students prepare to return to the classroom. She said she would encourage students to stay focused, ignore distractions and remember that every challenge has a purpose, reminding them to “keep my eyes on the prize” because “there will always be detractors.
Kamira LaNay is a 2026 Journalism and Communications graduate of Morgan State University. She will spend the next year as a Texas Metro News Fellow.
