Class is in session: The first day of school is coming up — Mon., Aug. 21, for the San Diego Unified School District. For some local families, it can be difficult to afford all the supplies needed to be successful. So, we’ve rounded up six A+ initiatives that help students get ready to start learning.

Stuff the Bus

The San Diego County Office of Education and San Diego County Credit Union partner annually to fill backpacks with school supplies for students experiencing homelessness. The organizations are asking for monetary contributions with a goal of reaching $100,000 by Monday, July 31. You can donate online or at any San Diego County Jersey Mike's location.

Food 4 Kids Backpack Program

Some students face food insecurity outside of school. The Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank provides elementary school students with nutritious items for weekends, but relies on donations to fuel the program.

Back-to-School Backpack Drive

Jewish Family Service of San Diego has set a goal of providing 400 local students with fully-stocked backpacks. You can gather donations using this school supply list and drop off the items on Thursday, Aug. 10, or Friday, Aug 11.

Institute for Public Strategies school supply drive

Support South Bay students by purchasing items from the Institute for Public Strategies' Amazon wishlist. Supplies will be distributed at the 2023 South Bay Summer Festival on Saturday, Aug. 5.

The Salvation Army Kroc Center

If you have unused supplies, The Kroc Center stuffs new backpacks and donates them to students in need. Call the organization before making a donation.

San Diego Mesa College Foundation

The college's basic needs center — The Stand — collects food and professional clothing so students can focus on their degrees and career development.