Back to School Wellness and Preparation

This month, we share community school supply and mental health resiliency resources for kids, parents, and educators preparing to return to school.

We once again approach that special time of year when back to school preparations begin. As we do every year, we take the time to highlight educational resources for improving mental health and self-care during the return to school period, as well as community resources to help parents who may need extra support with getting their children school ready. We always want to encourage parents and school professionals to stop and take a moment to check in with themselves, to take stock of how you are physically feeling, and what steps you can do to take care of yourself before the summer is over.  Have you made time, just for yourself, to do something engaging but restful like reading a book, eating something indulgent, or engaging in a personal hobby, even for just 30 minutes during the day?  Take the time to engage and tune your daily habits with mindful, purposeful activities that restore and fulfill you.

Listed below are a mix of suggested self-care educational sites to help with that goal, followed by community back to school resources:

SELF-CARE:

Back to School Community Resources

• Boston Public Schools Youthline program is an online and in person resource available for any student, offering community resources, programs and city opportunities, and more.
• The Boston Teachers’ Union is hosting their 12^th annual back to school fair, with free books for students and educators, as well as opportunities to connect with community based programs.
• Mass.gov shares this helpful checklist to help parents prepare for return to school, with a focus on meeting medical needs.
• This site offers a list of school supply distributors for low-income families in need in the Boston area.
• This guide has listed multiple major resources for seeking out school supplies for families is need.
• Each year the Salvation Army hosts a Back to School Celebration.  This year, it is once again hosted at the TD Garden, on Wednesday August 13^th.  Eligible registrant can receive school supplies, clothing and jackets, and more.
• School on Wheels continues to provide backpack and supply donations and community services for students and families surviving homelessness, click the link to find out more about their mission as well as how to donate.
• Cradles to Crayons is another local community resource offering school supplies to kids in need.

Please feel free to reach out to us at the Employee Assistance Program for support, or if you have any other back to school resources you feel would be good for this list. Have a restful end of summer.