Junior Auxiliary of Gulfport hosts Back to School Bonanza

GULFPORT, Miss. (WXXV)- Back to school season is here and some students are getting a head start thanks to the Junior Auxiliary of Gulfport.

The organization is making sure kids are prepared for when classes begin.

It was a full house at West Elementary as the Junior Auxiliary of Gulfport hosted their annual Fill the Bus Bonanza.

The event partnered with local businesses to provide free haircuts, hot meals, and backpacks loaded with school supplies.

Organizers say this is the perfect event to prepare students for the start of school on Friday. Junior Auxiliary of Gulfport President April Hoyt said, “We have an annual back to school drive that we host with United Way of South Mississippi. This year we just wanted to find a way to build on that then just the school supplies. So, when we got together, we thought well what do kids need to start school. Clothes, food, backpacks, school supplies, and haircuts. The biggest thing that we wanted to bring to the community was the opportunity to get free haircuts. So, we hustled and found over 20 barbers that were willing to donate their time to us. I think that it’s important because we need to give children everything they need to be successful and that doesn’t just come from what we teach them. They need to feel confident and comfortable and that they feel part of the school they are in. Sometimes kids don’t have new clothes or a fresh haircut and they don’t have school supplies. So, we wanted to give them the tools to make them feel successful.”