Three Communities, One Mission: Helping Military and Veteran Kids Start the School Year Ready

There’s something special about a new school year. Fresh notebooks. New backpacks. Sharpened pencils. The excitement of seeing friends again—and maybe a few butterflies about what the year will bring. We are always grateful for the opportunity to make that fresh start a little easier for military and veteran families across the Miami Valley. Over the weekend of August 8–9, we hosted three school supply giveaway events, bringing backpacks and essential school supplies directly to the families we serve in Miami, Shelby, and Darke Counties.

While the giveaway weekend may have lasted just two days, making it happen took weeks of preparation. Long before families arrived to pick up their supplies, our volunteers were busy sorting, organizing, counting, packing, and preparing thousands of school supplies so that each event would be ready to serve the children who came through our doors.

This effort was made possible through the incredible generosity of our partners at Dollar Tree and Operation Homefront. Their support helped provide the supplies that went into backpacks and onto tables across all three giveaway locations, allowing OVCS to bring much-needed school essentials directly to military and veteran families in our communities. From the first box opened during those early sorting days to the last backpack handed to a child that weekend, this was truly a community effort.

And we couldn’t have done it without the people who were willing to roll up their sleeves and help make it happen.

A First for Our New Home

Saturday, August 8, marked a special milestone: our first school supply giveaway at our new office in Troy. Our new space proved to be more than up to the task! Nearly 60 military and veteran children received school supplies—including brand-new backpacks—to help them head into the 2026–2027 school year prepared and excited. And while the kids picked out their supplies, the adults found a place to relax and connect, too. Families who arrived early gathered in Jim’s Lounge, where they could sit, visit, and make new friends. Watching our new office become a place where military and veteran families could not only receive assistance but also spend time together was one of the highlights of the day.

We were especially touched to welcome families who traveled from as far away as Miamisburg to participate. It was a wonderful reminder that the work we do reaches well beyond the walls of our office. Thanks to a generous donation, we were also able to serve hot dogs to families throughout the afternoon, with popsicles providing the perfect summertime treat.

And, naturally, our cameras were busy, too! Families who received supplies and signed a photo release had the opportunity to have their pictures taken, capturing some of those wonderful back-to-school moments. We also captured plenty of behind-the-scenes photos along the way—from setting up the giveaway tables to the happy chaos of distribution.

Of course, an event like this doesn’t happen without an incredible team behind the scenes. Our volunteers showed up ready to work—from setting up tables and supplies, to serving hot dogs, helping families, and keeping everything moving. And perhaps most importantly, they stayed to tackle the cleanup afterward! We are incredibly grateful for every volunteer who gave their time and energy to make our first school supply giveaway in our new home such a success.

Taking the Giveaway on the Road

On Sunday, August 9, the school supply giveaway continued with two additional events serving families in neighboring communities. We headed to the Sidney American Legion to serve our Shelby County military and veteran families, and then to the Ansonia American Legion for our friends and families in Darke County.

From backpacks and notebooks to all the little supplies students need to walk into their classrooms ready to learn, these giveaways were about more than school supplies. They were about making sure military and veteran families know that their community is standing beside them. Each location brought its own energy, laughter, conversations, and plenty of excited kids ready to see what was waiting for them.

More Than Backpacks

At OVCS, we know that supporting military and veteran families means more than providing a box of supplies. Sometimes, it looks like a new backpack. Sometimes, it looks like a hot dog and a popsicle on a Saturday afternoon. Sometimes, it looks like a comfortable place to sit and talk with another family who understands. And sometimes, it looks like a volunteer staying an extra 30 minutes to make sure every table is folded, every box is put away, and every bit of trash is cleaned up.

Those moments matter.

We are so grateful to the generous donors, volunteers, community partners, and American Legion posts who helped make this weekend possible. Because of you, military and veteran children across our communities can begin the new school year with a little more confidence—and their families can begin it knowing they have a community behind them.

Three events. Three communities. One mission: supporting the military and veteran families who have given so much to ours.

Thank you for helping us send these kids back to school ready to learn, ready to grow, and ready for a great year!