Following the weekend's Stuff the Bus event, the annual Carteret County back-to-school supply distribution brought smiles and relief to families on Wednesday, August 13, as hundreds of students from kindergarten through 12th grade received the essentials to start the school year strong.
Hosted at Parkview Baptist Church in Morehead City, the event provided free backpacks, new shoes, blue jeans, and haircuts—all while supplies lasted. This year’s turnout was one of the largest yet, with over 600 backpacks distributed, more than 300 pairs of shoes and blue jeans given away, and 102 haircuts provided on site. Families also connected with community resources, including the Carteret County Health Department, Carteret County Public Schools’ School Nutrition team, and the Title Wave Book Mobile.
Organizers extended special thanks to the talented stylists and barbers who volunteered their time: Amanda and Ashley from Great Clips, Krystina from The Hair Factory Salon Suites, Rose from Beauty by Rose McVicker, and all the barbers from Carteret and Craven Barber Schools.
The morning was made possible through a partnership of local organizations and businesses, including Parkview Baptist Church, Carteret County Public School System, Carteret Education Foundation, Carteret County Association of Realtors, Ann Street United Methodist Church, Walmart, Staples, Coastal Dentistry, Safrit’s Building Supply, Coastal Press, Wellcare, Davis Free Will Baptist Church, and many other donors and volunteers.
The event ran from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and served families from across the county, helping remove barriers for students and easing the financial burden of back-to-school shopping.
As students head back to classrooms this month, organizers say the strong turnout reflects the importance of community collaboration in supporting education.