Just in Time for Back-to-School

Program participants kicked off the new school year with food, fun, and festivities just in time for back-to-school—and left with a backpack filled with the essentials.

Three of Change Inc.’s newest programs helped families prepare for back-to-school with a Back-to-School Bash event filled with fun, food, and festivities. Family participants from Mulberry Junction Out-of-School Time program, ASPIRE (Assisting Students & Parents in Resources and Engagement), and Family Healing joined Change Inc. staff at East Side Neighborhood Services on August 20, 2026, and took home backpacks filled with school essentials.

Ninety participants shared a meal and took a special back-to-school photo, with some jumping in the bouncy house or making crafts. Everyone left with a backpack, school supplies, new books, and other essentials. We also delivered backpacks directly to families who couldn’t make it. In all, 100 youth received full backpacks at the event to start the school year.

Families feel the impact of this event each year, with one saying how grateful they are for the invitation. This parent of three children expressed relief at receiving this support after she and her sister-in-law struggled to get backpacks for all of the children going back to school.

“So much of our work with families is about navigating challenging moments throughout their child's school experience. The Back to School event is an especially great time of the year because it's a chance to zoom out from individual work and gather as a community as we celebrate the year ahead. One of my favorite aspects of this event is that it really is for the whole family,” shared ASPIRE Co-Coordinator, Lily Bergeron.

A very special thanks to our various community supporters and generous donors alike:

• United Way and Simon Says Give donated backpacks and school supplies

• Northeast Lions covered the cost of dinner for the event

• Johnny Pops donated popsicles for dessert

• Community partners from the Northeast Library, Hennepin County outreach services, Legal Aid (and our own Mulberry Junction) shared community resources for families during the event

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Change Inc. adopted three programs—ASPIRE, Out-of-School Time (OST) programs, and Family Healing—from East Side Neighborhood Services (ESNS) and has continued these vital community services and programming since December 2025. The Back-to-School Bash was a first of many collaborative events for our newly adopted programs, and we look forward to more.

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About these programs:

• Out-of-School Time (OST) Programs: Two OST Programs provide high quality, intentionally designed programming that creatively integrates academic, enrichment and social emotional learning components to meet individual needs. The vision is that youth shape our shared future, through self-determination, family connection, and community stewardship. Both programs primarily serve children in grades K-5 and partner with their families and schools to support academic and social and emotional well-being. The OST programs are funded by MN MDE After-School Community Learning Grant.

• ASPIRE: ASPIRE (Assisting Students and Parents In Resources and Engagement) is a program contracted with Hennepin County to provide “Be@School” services for children and youth referred to the County Attorney’s office by schools due to truancy. ASPIRE staff supports children and youth by taking a holistic approach with families in order to address attendance and truancy issues. A main goal of the program is to divert the young person from further court involvement.

• Family Healing Program: Family Healing offers person-centered, trauma-informed healing services for people who have been identified as using abusive behaviors within their home or community setting.  Psycho-educational groups work to stop domestic violence as it occurs and to prevent it from happening in the future.