Back-to-School Events and Resources in the Iowa City-Cedar Rapids Corridor

Every August brings the same familiar scramble across the Corridor. Finding lost backpacks, replacing outgrown shoes, hunting down the impossible-to-find school supplies on your child’s list… 

While the rush of back-to-school shopping can be fun, the cost adds up quickly. One awesome thing about this community is that there are great local resources and back-to-school events to help make the season more affordable—and plenty of ways to give back if you have extra to share. 

Whether you need a little help stretching your budget before the first day of school, or you have a closet full of outgrown clothes and extra school supplies, here are some local drives, organizations, and programs to explore this season. 

 

If You Need a Hand 

Ready Set School

Held August 14 and 15 at the Johnson County Fairgrounds, Ready Set School is the area’s largest back-to-school event. Local organizations including the United Way, The Salvation Army, Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Johnson County, Open Heartland, and Johnson County Community Violence Intervention partner to help K-12 students prepare for the first day of school. 

Kids get a free backpack filled with school supplies. Families can also take care of dental and vision checks, required vaccines, and even get a fresh haircut for the kids, all in one trip. 

Advance registration is required, so be sure to sign up early. 

 

Art + Craft Supplies Pop-Up Events

Free art and school supplies are up for grabs through the City of Iowa City’s Art and Craft Supplies Pop-Up Events. Anyone can drop by the East Side Recycling Center’s Environmental Education Center at 2401 Scott Blvd. SE to pick up free notebooks, binders, paint, yarn, and other supplies. 

Pickup is Friday, August 21 from 4 to 8 pm and Saturday, August 22 from 10 am to 2 pm. Just make sure to bring a bag or box to carry home what you find. 

 

The Community Closet

The North Liberty Community Pantry (350 West Penn Street) is a fantastic resource to have on your radar. Beyond food, NLCP runs The Community Closet, a clothing pantry where families in North Liberty and rural Johnson County can shop once a month for free. 

Every household can shop for up to 10 items of clothing (including kids’ and infant sizes), one pair of underwear, and one pair of socks. It’s an easy way to get some back-to-school clothes or rotate what your kids have outgrown. 

 

Once Upon a Child and Crowded Closet

Looking to stretch your budget a bit further? Check out Once Upon a Child, with locations in both Coralville and Cedar Rapids. They buy and sell gently used kids’ clothes, shoes, and gear, making it easy to trade in outgrown items or grab what you need at a fraction of retail prices. 

The Crowded Closet is another option for thrift shopping. Here, you’ll find gently used children’s clothing and shoes, including many of the name-brand items you’d pay full price for at the mall. 

 

CommUnity Crisis Services and Food Bank | Coralville Community Food Pantry

Back-to-school season can put a strain on your grocery budget, between packing lunches five days a week, after-school snacks, and feeding hungry kids on a tighter schedule. If you’re in Iowa City or Coralville, CommUnity Crisis Services and Food Bank and the Coralville Community Food Pantry have you covered. 

Both pantries are here to ensure that extra strain doesn’t mean going without, and neither has income requirements to use them. 

 

School Lunch Applications

Now is also a good time to fill out your district’s free and reduced lunch application. When money is tight, getting your application in before the first day of school takes a big daily expense off your plate before the school year starts. 

If you’re in the Iowa City Community School District, you can apply for discounted or free school breakfast and lunch through the Iowa Eligibility Free & Reduced Application portal. 

 

If You Want to Help 

Donate School Supplies

You can donate supplies to the Ready Set School supply drive through August 7. This event needs roughly 65,000 individual items to fill backpacks for 2,000 kids. 

Even if you miss the drop-off deadline, many local elementary and middle schools continue collecting school supplies for students through the first week of school. The Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) and Public Health (IDPH) also collect new backpacks, school supplies, and store gift cards to support local children and families. 

 

Drop Off Gently Used Clothing

Places like The Community Closet run on donations. If your kids have outgrown last year’s wardrobe, donating clothing puts it back into the community instead of in a landfill. 

Other organizations in our community, including Shelter House, Open Heartland, DVIP and RVAP, and the Crowded Closet, provide clothing at low to no cost. 

 

Join a Local Buy Nothing Group 

Local Buy Nothing groups are another way to give or get supplies without spending a dime. These hyper-local Facebook groups let neighbors pass along items they no longer need directly to someone nearby. 

Iowa City has dedicated groups for the east, west, and central parts of town, while Coralville, North Liberty (North and Southwest), and Cedar Rapids have their own active communities. Boundaries sometimes shift, so the easiest approach is to search ‘Buy Nothing’ plus your neighborhood on Facebook, or use the Buy Nothing Project’s online finder. You can hand off outgrown clothes and extra backpacks or school supplies directly to a family in your area. 

 

Why Giving Back Matters to Us

Back-to-school season can be incredibly taxing on any family, so please know there’s no shame in taking advantage of local support. Urban Acres has always believed that community goes far beyond real estate. We look out for our neighbors, whether that means guiding a family through finding their first home or making sure a local student starts the school year with a full backpack. 

However you choose to give or get involved this season, we hope this guide helps you get started!