Helping Families Get Ready For School Takes More Than A Backpack

By Anya Nawrocky (Wellpoint New Jersey)

Every August, communities across New Jersey come together to help children start the school year on the right foot. Churches organize backpack drives. Schools collect supplies. Businesses, nonprofit organizations, and volunteers give their time and resources because they know that something as simple as a new backpack or a box of crayons can help a child walk into the classroom with confidence.

This year, those efforts carry even greater meaning. Recent national polling found that more than two-thirds of parents say back-to-school shopping is more expensive than it was a year ago, with families expecting to spend nearly $900 per child before classes begin. New Jersey families are feeling those pressures as well.

In 2025, 51% of back-to-school families said they were shopping earlier because they were concerned that prices would rise, while 67% of back-to-school shoppers had already begun purchasing items by early July, according to data reported by the New Jersey Business & Industry Association. For many households, preparing for school has become another reminder that everyday expenses continue to stretch family budgets.

The response from communities across our state has been inspiring, but it also highlights an important reality. While backpack giveaways and school supply drives help thousands of families every year, not everyone can make it to those events. Parents may be working, transportation may be a challenge or an event may simply be too far away. Others may need help that extends well beyond what fits inside a backpack.

That is why it is important for families to know that missing a community event does not mean they have missed the opportunity to find assistance.

Across New Jersey, local organizations work every day to help families with food, housing, transportation, child care, utility assistance, employment support, health care and many other needs that can affect a child’s ability to succeed in school. Those resources have always existed. The challenge is that many people simply do not know where to begin looking, especially when they are already juggling work, raising children and trying to keep up with rising costs.

Recognizing that challenge, Wellpoint New Jersey makes available a free online community resource called “Community Resource Link.” NJ FamilyCare members can use the tool to connect with local organizations that offer assistance with everything from food and housing to transportation, employment and other needs.

By visiting their website, https://www.wellpoint.com/nj/medicaid/community-support, and entering a ZIP code, families can begin identifying resources available in their own communities. Instead of searching dozens of websites or making countless phone calls, families can begin in one place and quickly identify resources available in their own communities.

Making those connections is about more than convenience. As a health plan, we know that a child’s health is influenced by much more than medical care. Children are better prepared to learn in school when families have stable housing, reliable transportation, enough food on the table and access to the community resources that help them thrive. 

Helping people find those resources is one practical way we can support healthier communities across New Jersey.  

As another school year begins, I hope every backpack giveaway is filled with families, volunteers and community partners working together to give children a strong start. I also hope families know that if they cannot attend one of those events, or if they need support that goes beyond school supplies, they still have somewhere to turn.

 Visit https://www.wellpoint.com/nj/medicaid/community-support today to find help.

Anya Nawrocky is the Director, Member Experience and Growth at Wellpoint New Jersey