JACKSONVILLE, N.C. — National nonprofit Operation Homefront, in partnership with Food Lion Feeds, will distribute 400 backpacks filled with essential school supplies and grocery items to local military children at the VFW Post 9133 on Saturday, Aug. 5, as part of their 16^th annual Back-to-School Brigade®.

This year, Operation Homefront aims to distribute its 550,000^th backpack since the program began in 2008, saving families more than $60 million in back-to-school expenses.

The Back-to-School Brigade program helps alleviate the costs of school supplies during what can be a financially stressful season. While everyone is feeling the effects of inflation, new reports, including this one by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, highlight that military families are being disproportionately impacted. Frequent deployments and changes in station bring overwhelming transition to new communities, new schools, and new careers. Coupled with inflation and tightened budgets, these factors take a huge toll on military families. The Back-to-School Brigade program aims to ensure military children have the resources they need to succeed in school while easing the financial burden felt by their parents.

The Jacksonville event is supported by Food Lion, through their Food Lion Feeds hunger-relief platform, and offers a tangible way to express gratitude to military families for their service on behalf of all Americans. In preparation for the event, Food Lion associates volunteered their time by packing 400 grocery bags full of snacks, which will be distributed to military families at the event in collaboration with Operation Homefront. 

National partners supporting Operation Homefront’s Back-to-School Brigade® events around the country include Southern New Hampshire University, Dollar Tree, Inc., CSX and Kellogg’s.