MORGANTOWN — Pantry Plus More’s annual Back to School Bash takes a year’s worth of work to pull together.
Thousands of hours volunteered and tens of thousands of dollars raised for a return on investment that’s way more about feeling than finance.
That payoff arrives between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday when an anticipated 1,600 school-age kids fill the Mon County Center in Mylan Park.
“What I love about the Bash is that it gives volunteers like myself a real-life glimpse into the work that you’re doing,” event chair Amanda Bolyard said. “The kids are so excited. Watching a kid pick out a backpack with a character they like or a color they want is an amazing feeling. You watch them go through the supply lines and when they leave, they’re so excited about what they have. It’s really an indescribable experience.”
The yearly event began in 2018 with the goal of giving every kid in Monongalia County the opportunity to show up on the first day of school with a brand new backpack and all new school supplies – the point being a child who isn’t fixated on what they don’t have can instead focus on learning.
It’s the same idea behind the pantries the nonprofit keeps stocked in a number of Monongalia County schools.
“The bash is important to our work as education is the pathway out of poverty,” Bolyard said. “The mission of [Pantry Plus More] is to help eliminate hunger and other obstacles that inhibit students’ ability to achieve their educational goals.”
Items will be available for free on a first-come-first-served basis to all students Pre-K through 12th attending a Monongalia County school.
Offerings will include backpacks, school supplies and hygiene products.
There will also be vendor resource tables providing families information about various support services in the area. The Monongalia County Health Department will be on hand to offer physicals for $20 as well as information and registration for WIC.
While organizers encourage pre-registering online through the PPM Facebook page (forms.gle/RBavF5BLRdZ1A1E57), students can register the day of the event.
As of Tuesday morning, more than 1,400 kids had been registered.
Volunteers can also sign up via a link available through Facebook or at pantryplusmore.org.
Beyond volunteering, the community can support the Back to School Bash through monetary donations or in-kind donations of items like spiral notebooks, composition notebooks, loose leaf paper, markers, crayons, pens, pencils and other new school supplies.
Bolyard said the Bash is the largest single-day event undertaken by PPM. It takes a year of preparation and the support from community partners like Northeast Natural Energy, which provided $10,000 to purchase hygiene products. Other supporters include Chestnut Ridge Church, Mon Health and the Hazel Ruby McQuain Charitable Trust.
“Just seeing one kid come through and be excited to go to school instead of the alternative feeling of shame or embarrassment – seeing one child like that makes it all worth it,” Bolyard said. “It’s very special.”
