MONADNOCK REGION, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) As summer winds down, families across the Monadnock Region are getting ready for the 2026-27 school year. For some families, the cost of backpacks, notebooks, pencils, clothing and other school necessities can make that preparation difficult.

Several local organizations are offering free school supplies, backpacks, haircuts and other assistance to help local students start the school year prepared.

Healthy Starts Collecting Supplies for Annual Giveaway

A Keene nonprofit is collecting school supplies and monetary donations ahead of its annual back-to-school giveaway for local students in need.

Home Healthcare, Hospice and Community Services, which operates Healthy Starts, hopes to distribute approximately 300 backpacks filled with notebooks, pencils and other school supplies before the school year begins.

The organization is accepting unused school supplies and monetary donations through next Thursday. Donations can be dropped off at 312 Marlboro St. in Keene.

Healthy Starts supports families throughout the Monadnock Region by providing health and parenting education and connecting families with social workers, nurses and housing resources.

A complete list of supplies being accepted for the drive is available on the Home Healthcare, Hospice and Community Services Facebook page. Monetary donations can also be made to support the effort.

Free School Supplies Available in Keene

Healthy Starts is one of several local organizations helping families prepare for the new school year.

Feeding Tiny Tummies and Resource Center at 305 Park Ave. in Keene will provide free school supplies during its pantry hours during the first two weeks of August. Families who sign up can also fill a backpack with children’s clothing for $5.

Keene Assembly of God at 121 Park Ave. will host a back-to-school giveaway Saturday, Aug. 15, from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The event will include free school supplies and backpacks, a laptop giveaway and food. Staff from The Foundry Barbershop will also be available to provide free haircuts.

Community Media will distribute free backpacks and school supplies Friday, Aug. 14, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Monadnock Food Co-Op at 34 Cypress St. Registration is not required, although it is recommended.

Free Haircuts Also Available

Getting ready for school can involve more than buying supplies. Several local businesses are also offering free haircuts to help families prepare for the new school year.

Urban Styles Co. at 457 West St. in Keene will offer free back-to-school haircuts for children ages 5 to 14 on Sunday, Aug. 16, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Downtown Barber Co. at 85 Emerald St. will offer free back-to-school haircuts for children 12 and younger by appointment Sunday, Aug. 23.

School Supply Giveaways Across the Region

Families outside Keene will also have several opportunities to receive free school supplies and backpacks.

Community Media will hold giveaways Thursday, Aug. 13, at Frazier and Son in Swanzey and at Shippee Auto Inc. in Hinsdale. Additional giveaways are planned Friday, Aug. 14, at Brattleboro Subaru and Savings Bank of Walpole in Winchester, followed by another giveaway Saturday, Aug. 15, at Savings Bank of Walpole.

A free backpack giveaway for students in need is also scheduled at the Jaffrey McDonald’s on Wednesday, Aug. 5.

In Brattleboro, the Thompson House Rehabilitation and Nursing Center will hold a school-supply giveaway Friday, Aug. 14, while the Brattleboro Reformer and Brattleboro Auto Mall will hold their annual backpack and school supply giveaway Wednesday, Aug. 19. That event will include free haircuts for school-aged children, as well as other activities.

Check School Lists Before Shopping

Families who are able to purchase supplies can save money by checking their children’s official school and classroom lists before heading to the store.

Teachers often post supply lists during the summer, and requirements can vary depending on a student’s grade and classes.

At Keene Middle School, for example, seventh- and eighth-grade students have supply lists that include items such as binders, folders, notebooks, pencils, highlighters and headphones. Some classes, including music programs, have additional requirements.

Parents should also check around the house before purchasing new supplies. Unused notebooks, folders, binders, pencils and other items from previous school years may still be perfectly usable.

Shop Local Discount Stores

Families looking for inexpensive school supplies can also shop at local discount retailers. Keene has both Five Below and Dollar Tree, where shoppers can find many of the basic items commonly included on school supply lists.

Spreading purchases out over several weeks can also make back-to-school expenses easier to manage. Families can start with the essentials and purchase additional items as needed once classes begin.

Getting Back into a School Routine

Preparing for school also means getting children ready for the change in routine.

Parents can begin gradually moving bedtimes earlier before school starts and establish consistent evening and morning routines. Packing backpacks, preparing lunches and setting out clothes the night before can help make busy school mornings more manageable.

With free supply and backpack giveaways available throughout the region, along with local organizations working to support families, parents have several options for reducing the cost and stress of getting ready for the 2026-27 school year.