Photo: A long line of students and parents awaited their turn to receive backpacks and school supplies during Saturday’s DeSoto County Dream Center event at Latimer Lake Park in Horn Lake. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
July 12, 2025 – An indication of the need for Saturday’s DeSoto County Dream Center Backpack and School Supply Giveaway happened about three-and-a-half to four hours before the event was to start at Horn Lake’s Latimer Lake Park in Horn Lake.
As volunteers started to arrive and begin the set up for the four-hour event, a line started to form with parents and youngsters set to receive the backpacks, notebooks, pencils, markers and more being made available.
From left, Dream Center Executive Director Jenna Kern, Terri Sparkman, and Lindsey Riden.
Dream Center Executive Director Jenna Kern said the early morning response clearly showed the need was there for what they were doing.
“There are so many students in DeSoto County that need backpacks,” Kern said. “Sometimes many feel like we have everything we need here, but there are still families in need in DeSoto County. You don’t stand in line in the hot July sun in Mississippi for hours unless you sincerely have a need.”
And, the line was long Saturday, threading from the parking lot near the football field back toward and past the ball fields at the Horn Lake park.
Backpacks set for giveawaypencilsParents and youngsters walked along a table filled with backpacks and school supplies.crayons
The goal, which was likely met, was to distribute 1,500 backpacks to students from DeSoto County Title One Schools, who with the help of a shopper, then walked down a lengthy table with everything from binders, notebooks, pencils, erasers, highlighters and more.
Along with supply distribution, it became a fun event with hot dogs, chips, sno cones being served, a bounce house was set up, along with other games for the kids.
Being a faith-based organization, the Dream Center also made sure devotionals were presented and a prayer partner even said a prayer of blessing for the students as they begin the new school year.
The backpack giveaway is the largest event of the year for the Dream Center, which offers a “holistic approach to serving those in DeSoto County.”
It was with the Homer Skelton Charitable Foundation that the event was sponsored. The foundation provided funding for every backpack and school supply item offered.
“They make sure every student in DeSoto County has what they need to start school with confidence and with the supplies they need to be on the same footing as everyone else,” Kern said.
Backpacks set for giveawayThis bounce house, plus food and snow cone giveways were also part of the event. Boxes of backpacks set for distribution
The giveaway, in its fifth year, started small but has increased in the number of backpacks given out each year to this year’s 1,500. As many as 300 volunteers came out to help.
“We’re just so grateful for the community’s involvement and the positive impact this event has,” Kern said.
The backpack and school supply giveaway provided a meaningful back-to-school boost—materially through high-quality backpacks and school supplies, and relationally through prayer, community engagement, and friendly support. It’s become an anticipated local tradition aimed at empowering families and lightening academic burdens.
