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DENVER (KDVR) — Five hundred kids and 100 teachers got free back-to-school supplies Saturday at the Mile High United Way Back to School Bash.

“For the kids, that means backpacks, water bottles, graphing calculators, the whole shebang. For the teachers, that means extra cleaning supplies and extra markers, so they don’t have to pay as much out of pocket,” said Chelsea Carver, the chief development officer.

This year, there is a great need, Carver said. The average cost of school supplies is $150 per child, which can be tough to cover for struggling families.

“If you think about two children, that’s $300. That’s the difference between whether we are paying rent or whether we are eating,” Carver said. 

She is glad this is one less thing that these families have to worry about.

In the future, if your family needs help with resources, call 211.