Special to The Dallas Examiner
The 27th annual Dallas Mayor’s Back to School Fair will take place Aug. 4 inside the Automobile Building and Centennial Hall at Fair Park, located at 1010 First Ave.
Hosted by Mayor Eric L. Johnson, the fair is a collaborative effort between the city of Dallas, Dallas Independent School District, Junior League of Dallas and other nonprofits, corporations and community volunteers.
Each year, it serves more than 10,000 economically students from underserved communities in grade levels pre-K to 12 and their families.
“The Dallas Mayor’s Back to School Fair shows how committed Dallas is to getting all our kids what they need to succeed in school,” Dallas ISD Superintendent Dr. Stephanie S. Elizalde said.
For 27 years, the fair has served as a one-stop shop for school supplies, valuable services and community resources. Pre-registered Dallas students and their families will receive school supplies at the fair and access to immunizations, dental screenings, vision exams, and other health and social services provided by more than 100 vendors.
“I am consistently reminded that Dallas is strong because our people are strong,” Johnson said. “The Dallas community’s support of this event is further proof. Together, we will ensure that Dallas children have the opportunities they need to learn and grow this upcoming school year.”
To receive free school supplies, families must register their students online at mayorsbacktoschoolfair.com or at one of three upcoming in-person events. To qualify for free school supplies, students must live in the city of Dallas or attend a Dallas ISD school. For Dallas ISD students, families must provide proof that their student attends a Dallas ISD school by providing a student ID number. For students who live in the city of Dallas but attend other schools, families must provide a valid photo ID, city of Dallas proof of residency (e.g., a utility bill, rent, or mortgage statement), and verify their household income is equal to or less than the 2023 Federal Poverty Guidelines.
“This family-friendly fair has become a beloved annual tradition here in Dallas before the start of each new school year,” Johnson said. “I look forward to welcoming more than 10,000 participating Dallas students and their families to Fair Park in August.”
This year, the Junior League of Dallas will power the event and recruit, train and support the more than 500 event volunteers.
“We are excited about this renewed partnership with the office of Dallas Mayor Eric L. Johnson, as it will allow us to do what we do best – voluntarism, leadership, and community collaboration,” said Christina N. Eubanks, president of the Junior League of Dallas. “Education is one of our core impact areas, and we strongly believe that our children should have all the necessary tools to be successful in school. This annual fair is the perfect way to serve our community and leverage our trained volunteers to alleviate the financial burden of school supplies and other preparations required for students to achieve and excel throughout the school year.”
Representatives from all of the following companies participated and shared remarks: Amazon, Santander Consumer USA Foundation, City of Dallas Office of Environmental Quality & Sustainability, Walmart, Dallas Mavericks, Texas Health and Human Services, Target, Spectrum and Half Price Books.
Additional event sponsors include Accident & Injury Chiropractic, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Children’s Health, Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages, Davis Vision by MetLife, Energy Transfer, Greater Texas Credit Union, H-E-B, Mattress Firm, Oncor, Ryan Foundation, Sewell Automotive, Southern Methodist University, TXU and WFAA.
The State Fair of Texas’ Little Big Tex, the Dallas Police Department’s McGruff The Crime Dog, the Dallas Stars’ Victor E. Green, the Dallas Mavericks’ Champ, the City of Dallas Office of Environmental Quality & Sustainability’s Water Conservation Dew, and the Half Price Books Bookworm also joined the celebration in addition to students from the East Dallas Boys & Girls Club and Dallas Works, the mayor’s summer youth employment program.
Volunteers and vendors should also register to participate at mayorsbacktoschoolfair.com. For more information about volunteer opportunities, email mbtsf@jldallas.org. For relevant updates between now and August, follow the fair’s new Facebook page.