GREENSBORO, N.C. - The first day of school will be here before you know it.
Some parents are already checking back-to-school items off on their shopping list.
Purchasing school supplies, however, is not as simple as it sounds for low income families in the Triad.
According to a National Retail Federation survey, American families spent an average of $687.72 for back-to-school supplies for their children in elementary through high school in 2017.
Parents also spent an average of $114.12 on notebooks, folders, pencils, backpacks, and lunchboxes alone.
The YMCA of Greensboro wants to help families who cannot afford to spend hundreds of dollars on school items each year.
The YMCA is offering 500 children a chance to enjoy a free dinner and go on a shopping trip to purchase school supplies for the upcoming school year.
The event is part of the 18th Annual Bright Beginnings Program.
It's an initiative that aims to lessen the back-to-school financial burden on families in Guilford and Rockingham County.
During the summer, the YMCA carefully reviews applications of children sent in by school counselors, churches, and other trusted sources.
Children selected for the program are paired with a volunteer shopping buddy who helps them pick out important school items.
The Bright Beginnings Program is funded through individual donations and sponsors, including Lincoln Financial Group, Proctor & Gamble, Ecolab, Summit Rotary, Walmart, and Target.
The YMCA of Greensboro is collecting donations from the public in hopes of filling 500 backpacks with school supplies for kids, including 1" three-ring binders, wide ruled notebooks, colored pencils, lunch boxes, hand sanitizer, and fabric zipper pencil pouches.
If you're interested in donating to the Bright Beginnings Program or serving as a shopping buddy volunteer, click here.