The new school year is fast approaching for many Marathon County families, and United Way 2-1-1 wants to make sure families are aware of community programs that can help with their students’ needs as they go back to school.

For families looking for help with school supplies, consider looking into one of the following programs:

Workplace Volunteer Council’s Fill a Backpack, Fill a Need (FABFAN)
•Marathon County school districts (excluding Wausau School District) sends tickets to families with students entering Pre-K through 8th grade who are eligible for free or reduced lunch, usually between May and August.
•New this year, Wausau School District required families to pre-register by visiting their website or the district office by August 1.
•Distribution takes place Saturday, Aug. 19, from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Wausau Center Mall in the old JC Penney store.
•Families who did not receive a ticket from their school, or were unable to register in time can still attend the distribution to receive school supplies.

The Neighbors’ Place School Supplies Distribution
•This program is intended to help students entering Pre-K through 8th grade who are eligible for free or reduced lunch with school supplies.
•Simply call The Neighbors’ Place at (715) 845-1966 and ask to speak with the donations department to set up a time to pick up supplies.
•Supplies are offered on a first-come, first-served basis, and are available as long as they last. If you received a FABFAN ticket but were unable to attend the distribution, this can be used to verify your child’s eligibility for this program.

The Salvation Army’s Tools for School
•This program is a separate program intended for Marathon County students entering Kindergarten through 12th grade who are eligible for free or reduced lunch.
•Distribution is only taking place August 14-25 from 1:00pm-3:30pm, and is also offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
•Attend during the established times or, if after this time passes, call The Salvation Army office at 715-845-4272 to check and see what supplies are available. Students entering grades 9 through 12 are also asked to bring their school schedule.
For all of these programs distributing school supplies, each requires that you bring an ID proving Marathon County residency and a letter from your child’s school verifying their eligibility for free or reduced lunch when you attend.

Families looking for help with back-to-school clothing for their students can check with the following programs:

Rothschild’s Mount Calvary Lutheran Church
•This church operates a regular clothes closet for children and adults in need.
•For questions about accessing this closet or other related programs, call the church office at (715) 359-4500 or call 2-1-1 for more information.

United Way of Marathon County’s Rebecca’s Closet
•This program offers infant and children’s items.
•Individuals in need cannot access this program directly, but those who are interested may ask a community agency they are working with – which can include school counselors or teachers – to access the Closet on their behalf.
•Contact United Way of Marathon County at (715) 848-2927 with any questions about this program.

If you have questions about your school’s free or reduced lunch program or would like to apply, simply call your child’s school district office, or call 2-1-1 for more information.
Finally, consider checking Raise Great Kids’ Local Activities calendar at www.raisegreatkids.org if you or someone you know is looking for family-friendly community events in the area.
For more information on these or other community resources, dial 2-1-1, (715) 848-2255, or (800) 922-5590 (toll free) to speak with an Information Specialist, 24/7. A language interpreter service is available if needed.