Peninsula Community Health Services of Alaska will be holding their annual KidFest Back to School Drive-Thru Backpack Giveaway on Wednesday, Aug. 3 from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. The event, held annually by PCHS since 2019, will take place at both of the PCHS medical centers. These are located on Frontage Road in Kenai and Marydale Avenue in Soldotna. Families can drive through and get a free backpack containing basic school supplies including a folder, pencils, a pencil bag, an eraser, a flashlight and more.
Chastity Swafford, communications manager for PCHS, said in an interview that this year 500 backpacks would be available, up from 400 last year, when only two bags were left over. Supplies will be handed out on a first-come, first-served basis. Children do not need to be present in the car to receive a backpack. Swafford also confirmed that all of the backpacks and supplies were purchased and donated by PCHS.
Swafford said that PCHS wants to make sure members of the public note both that this event is a drive-thru only, asking people to remain in their cars while bags are handed through the window, and also that the event is being held at only two of the three PCHS locations. Backpacks will not be available at the PCHS dental facility on Kenai’s Main Street Loop.
