Communities in Schools of Michigan and TechSmith offered 700 free backpacks stuffed with school supplies to middle and high school students Wednesday at a drive-thru giveaway in East Lansing, less than two weeks before classes begin.

The annual event ran from 1 to 3 p.m. at TechSmith's headquarters, 14 Crescent Road, distributing bags while supplies lasted. The giveaway was open to all Lansing and East Lansing students in grades 6 through 12.

East Lansing Public Schools promoted the event on its Facebook page, calling it the organizations' annual drive-thru backpack giveaway. TechSmith, a screen-capture software company, has hosted the event at its Crescent Road campus in previous years.

The giveaway comes as back-to-school costs squeeze family budgets nationwide. A July analysis by the Groundwork Collaborative and The Century Foundation found the 2026–27 school year will cost families close to $4,000 per child, up 10.7% from last year. School supplies alone rose 7.7%, with lunch boxes up 26.8% and one-subject notebooks up 23%. The analysis found 45% of parents surveyed said they plan to take on debt to cover back-to-school shopping.

Organizers told WILX the giveaway aims to provide financial relief to families struggling to afford supplies for the upcoming academic year.

Another free backpack giveaway for Lansing-area students is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 15, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Lansing Mall, 5330 W. Saginaw Hwy., hosted by the nonprofit Against All Odds. Registration is required through Eventbrite.

East Lansing Public Schools' first day of the 2026–27 school year is Monday, Aug. 24.