For children from military families, going back to school can be a tough time.
They may constantly be switching schools, constantly making new friends, constantly playing catch-up in class.
So the San Diego Armed Services YMCA, with the help of Wells Fargo, tried to take one stressful task off their list, offering about 400 children free school supplies on Saturday.
"School supplies are so expensive, and I know being a military family, we don't always have enough money to go and buy all the school supplies so this is a huge, huge help," said Lydia Daniels, whose two children stocked up on pencils, folders, lunchboxes and all the essentials.
Her 6-year-old daughter, Mackenzie, told NBC 7, “I like the paint and the puppies,” referring to her notebook covered with adorable dog faces.
For many, the free supplies means more money for groceries, school lunches and more.
"Some of us have to be on a one income because our children have special needs or it's just the way the military life is,” said one woman whose husband has been in the Navy for 13 years. “We're constantly moving so we're not able to have our own careers as well.”
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At the event, guests were also treated to breakfast, entertainment and children’s activities.
Wells Fargo volunteers also packed 1,000 care packages that will be sent overseas to deployed service members. Brian Lee, an area president for the bank, said they hope to
"Military is such an important part of San Diego, and they do such great work that, as I tell them, it's because of what they do each and every day that allows us to do what we do each and every day."
