Hundreds of families gathered in San Bernardino for IE Rebound’s 10th annual Back-to-School Giveaway Fest, where students received backpacks, uniforms and school supplies while families connected with community resources and service providers. / IVN Photo by Ryan Martinez

San Bernardino, CA — Hundreds of Inland Empire families gathered in San Bernardino on Aug. 1 for IE Rebound’s “Live Yo Life Back to School Giveaway Fest,” where children received free backpacks, school supplies and uniforms while parents connected with health providers, community organizations, faith groups and public agencies ahead of the new school year.

Held at 1505 W. Highland Ave., the event brought together dozens of nonprofit organizations, service providers and volunteers for what organizers described as a community-centered celebration that extended beyond a traditional backpack giveaway.

The festival also featured free dental checkups, health screenings, jumpers, games, music, food and live performances, with more than 1,000 backpacks, school uniforms and school supplies available while supplies lasted.

For IE Rebound, the event reflects its mission of supporting justice-impacted individuals and families while strengthening community relationships.

Assistant Executive Director Brene Hendricks said the nonprofit provides programs both inside correctional facilities and within the community, including life-skills courses, anger management, domestic violence support and other services designed to help people successfully transition back into society.

Hendricks said the annual backpack giveaway is intended to bring together organizations that share a similar commitment to serving families while creating positive interactions between residents and agencies they may not otherwise encounter.

“We wanted to make sure that we brought together other people who are providing the same types of resources as us, but also some of our local law enforcement so that when families and youth come out into the community, their first interaction is not incident-based,” Hendricks said. “They get to actually establish relationships with probation and parole and different organizations.”

She said this year’s event marked IE Rebound’s 10th annual backpack giveaway and included expanded entertainment, featuring local musical artists, creatives and influencers from San Bernardino and surrounding communities to better engage young attendees.

By the middle of the event, organizers had already distributed about 550 backpacks and estimated they had served more than 1,000 people, including parents and siblings.

Hendricks said ensuring Black and Brown communities have equitable access to resources remains a personal motivation for her.

“I think it’s really important for me personally to make a community impact and make sure that our Black and Brown community feels included,” she said. “That they’re not excluded, that they have access to the same resources that everybody else has.”

The event drew participation from organizations representing youth development, behavioral health, faith communities and state agencies.

Sonia Compton, program director for the Youth MAP Program, a multidimensional anti-recidivism partnership, said her organization works closely with IE Rebound to connect young people with diversion programs, case management and other services.

“We’re like the bridge between all of the programs,” Compton said, explaining that Youth MAP helps families find resources without having to navigate multiple systems on their own.

She said IE Rebound regularly hosts many of the organization’s youth classes, making the partnership a natural fit.

Compton said the value of the event was evident in the reactions of the families attending.

“It gives them opportunities to see that there are people in the community that care, that want them here, they want them to succeed, and they want to make sure they have the opportunities and the things that they need to succeed in school, in the community, and then in life,” she said.

Representatives from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s Community Reentry Unit also attended.

Parole Agent Jason Kogeman said his unit regularly partners with nonprofit organizations that provide reentry services and viewed the backpack giveaway as an extension of that mission.

“I’ve been working in this community for close to 20 years,” Kogeman said. “Something where we can help out our community partners and our community members is great.”

He added that events like this help residents better understand the role parole officers play while providing direct assistance to local families.

Faith organizations likewise used the event to connect with residents.

Dr. Krystal Hays of Transformation Church in Rancho Cucamonga said the church’s Bridge Ministry focuses on mental and emotional health, financial capability, behavioral health and healthy relationships while serving as a connection point between the congregation and the broader community.

Hays said many families attending the giveaway rely on events like this to prepare their children for school.

“For some of the kids that are here, this is their school shopping,” she said. “Folks wouldn’t stand out here in 100-degree weather for an hour if this wasn’t really helpful to their actual prep for school.”

Youth sports organizations also participated.

A.J. Parrish of i9 Sports said his organization emphasizes character development alongside athletics by teaching values such as respect, sportsmanship and communication.

“I love giving back to the community,” Parrish said. “I’m just so happy that I’m able to give back to kids that need backpacks, pencils, pens, whatever they need for school.”

For attendees, the event represented more than free school supplies.

Jamal, a San Bernardino resident who attended the festival, said seeing so many organizations invest in local children reminded him of community events from his own childhood.

“I haven’t seen anything like this in a very long time,” he said. “I’d rather see things going on for the community.”

Verna Duckworth, whose husband, Owen Duckworth, founded the giveaway effort, said the event has grown through partnerships with organizations that contribute backpacks, food, funding and volunteers.

She said IE Rebound also hosts other community outreach efforts throughout the year, including turkey giveaways and additional family support programs.

As children left carrying new backpacks and supplies, organizers said the goal remained the same as it has been for years: ensuring students begin the school year equipped not only with classroom necessities, but also with stronger connections to the organizations and people working to support them.