CARTHAGE, MO.--- For Tara Hency, getting her 4 kids back to school is a hectic time.
"I was stressing we got two weeks until school, how am I going to pull off backpacks and school supplies," Hency says.
It's hard for her to do that.
"I don't have a job, my husband is disabled, so it's really tough trying to keep school supplies for four kids," Hency says.
Hency isn't the only parent in this situation during these tough economic times. Oak Street Assembly Pastor Anthony Crane says he's received dozens of calls from families needing help with school supplies.
"They're having a hard time coming up with enough money for school supplies and backpacks," states Pastor Crane.
The ministry has held a backpack giveaway to help families in need for six years.
"This year you can definitely tell, there's a big demand out there," Crane says.
The ministry has collected backpacks and school supplies through donations to help about 400 students. Parents like Hency rely on this generosity to get their kids back-to-school necessities.
"The money that we get, we make it stretch from the first of the month. We all get paid and that's the only check we get for the month," Hency says.
This is the second year Hency is getting backpacks for all four of her kids.
"It'll be a big stress relief," Hency says.
Oak Street Assembly organizers will give out backpacks at 6 p.m this Saturday at their church located at 2183 West Oak Street in Carthage. Supplies are handed out on first come first serve basis. Anyone in K-12 schools can receive supplies. For more information on the backpack giveaway, click here.
"I was stressing we got two weeks until school, how am I going to pull off backpacks and school supplies," Hency says.
It's hard for her to do that.
"I don't have a job, my husband is disabled, so it's really tough trying to keep school supplies for four kids," Hency says.
Hency isn't the only parent in this situation during these tough economic times. Oak Street Assembly Pastor Anthony Crane says he's received dozens of calls from families needing help with school supplies.
"They're having a hard time coming up with enough money for school supplies and backpacks," states Pastor Crane.
The ministry has held a backpack giveaway to help families in need for six years.
"This year you can definitely tell, there's a big demand out there," Crane says.
The ministry has collected backpacks and school supplies through donations to help about 400 students. Parents like Hency rely on this generosity to get their kids back-to-school necessities.
"The money that we get, we make it stretch from the first of the month. We all get paid and that's the only check we get for the month," Hency says.
This is the second year Hency is getting backpacks for all four of her kids.
"It'll be a big stress relief," Hency says.
Oak Street Assembly organizers will give out backpacks at 6 p.m this Saturday at their church located at 2183 West Oak Street in Carthage. Supplies are handed out on first come first serve basis. Anyone in K-12 schools can receive supplies. For more information on the backpack giveaway, click here.
