About 2,500 students from Spring ISD and Conroe ISD families will walk away with free school supplies, shoes, clothing and haircuts Saturday, Aug. 8 at Church Project's sixth annual Back to School Better event in The Woodlands.
The giveaway runs 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Church Project's campus, 602 Pruitt Road, according to the Houston Chronicle. In addition to supplies and apparel, the event offers food and family resources at no cost.
The timing gives families a head start: both Conroe ISD and Spring ISD open their 2026-27 school year Wednesday, Aug. 12, just four days later.
Rising costs add urgency
Back-to-school costs are climbing fast. A 2026 analysis by the Groundwork Collaborative and The Century Foundation found the price of a typical school supply list jumped 7.7 percent over the past year, with families now expected to spend roughly $4,000 per child on school-related costs — 10.7 percent more than last year. Nearly 45 percent of parents surveyed said they plan to take on debt to cover back-to-school shopping, according to the report.
Church Project, which describes itself as a network of house churches, runs a "Serve Our City" ministry focused on local community needs. The Back to School Better event, now in its sixth year, has grown into one of the area's largest annual school-supply drives. Volunteers can still sign up at churchproject.org/backtoschool.
The Aug. 8 event also falls during Texas's annual sales tax holiday, which runs Friday, Aug. 7 through Sunday, Aug. 9. During the holiday, most school supplies, clothing and shoes priced under $100 are tax-free statewide.
How to attend
- What: Back to School Better — free school supplies, shoes, clothing, haircuts, food and family resources
- When: Saturday, Aug. 8, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Where: Church Project, 602 Pruitt Road, The Woodlands, TX 77380
- Who: Open to Spring ISD and Conroe ISD families
- Cost: Free
- Volunteer: Sign up at churchproject.org/backtoschool
