Southwestern Minnesota - School Supplies - Statewide 2026

Information will be listed here when it becomes available for residents of the following counties: Big Stone, Brown, Chippewa, Cottonwood, Faribault, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, Le Sueur; Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, McLeod, Meeker, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Renville, Rock, Sibley, Swift, Waseca, Watonwan, and Yellow Medicine. If a program is not listed in a specific area, individuals should contact their school district's social worker for possible assistance with school supplies.

ANYONE

CLOSED BeMobile's 13th Annual Backpack Giveaway

• Distribution: Tuesday, July 21st - Thursday, July 23rd
• Eligibility: Open to all families in need of free school supplies and a backpack
• Registration: Walk-in, first come-first served until supplies last
• Where: Visit the https://bemobile.com/13thannualbackpackgiveaway/for Participating BeMobile Verizon stores
• Description: Provides a free backpack filled with school supplies. There is a limit of 3 backpacks per family to ensure that as many families as possible can benefit from this event. Every guest who picks up a backpack or visits a BeMobile Verizon store during the event dates can enter to win a $500 shopping spree to help with back-to-school needs. CLOSED

CLOSED Holy Trinity Lutheran Church – 8th Annual School Supply Giveaway

• Address: Holy Trinity Parking Lot, 1300 Main Street East, New Prague MN, 56071
• Serves: Open to all
• Eligibility: Elementary-age students
• Registration: Drive-thru, first come, first served, while supplies last. 216 backpacks filled with school supplies will be given away during this event. No early distribution. Rain or shine.
• When: Monday, August 3rd, at 6 pm
• Description: Free backpacks with general school supplies CLOSED 

BROWN COUNTY

CLOSED United Way of the Brown County Area

• Address: 1212 North Franklin Street, New Ulm, MN 56073
• Phone: (507)354-6512
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://www.uwbrowncounty.org/united-way-backpack-project
• Serves: Students who attend a school in Brown County
• Eligibility: Students in grades K-13 who qualify for school educational benefits
• Registration: Now – Friday, July 24^th
• Intake: Complete application form. Application forms can be completed online, emailed, dropped off in person (United Way of the Brown County Area, 108 North, New Ulm, MN, 56073), or mailed (United Way of the Brown County Area, PO Box 476, New Ulm, MN, 56073)
• Documents:

• • Online form: https://www.uwbrowncounty.org/backpack-apply
  • Application download: https://www.uwbrowncounty.org/sites/uwbrowncountyarea/files/2026-06/2026%20backpack%20application%20final%20.pdf

• Distribution: 8 am – 8 pm Tuesday, August 4^th. Email to arrange an alternate pick-up date if needed.
• Description: Provides new backpack and school supplies CLOSED 

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