Back to School Bash

A Strong Start for Every Student

City of Refuge’s Back to School Bash is a mid-August event that helps school-aged refugee children get ready for the new school year.

Families are invited to a fun afternoon of food, games, and school-readiness activities. Representatives from Columbia Public Schools are on-site to help families enroll in classes, arrange bus services, and ensure every student is prepared with a backpack and age-specific school supplies — including pencils, markers, calculators, headphones, and more.

Our Impact

Back to School Bash serves 400+ refugee students each year, and it’s only possible thanks to volunteers and generous supply donations. Last year alone, we distributed:

Notebooks

Markers

Pencils

and Countless additional supplies

Volunteers Make It Possible

Volunteers make our events possible! We need volunteers to help with:

Event set-up and tear-down
Running activities
Welcome and information table

To volunteer at events, fill out our volunteer application, check the “community events” box, and you’ll be added to the list to get information about event opportunities.

Become a Volunteer

Become a Sponsor

Sponsorship opportunities are available through events, programs, and special initiatives throughout the year. Join our sponsors in making a lasting impact.