Maria Fernanda Trochimezuk

Back-to-school shopping adds up fast — and for many families, it’s one of the biggest expenses of the year.

NMSDC partnered with The Zay Project to help ease that burden. Attendees spent Monday and Tuesday assembling backpacks stocked with essential school supplies for students in the Phoenix region.

The National Retail Federation estimates that parents may spend well over $800 in back-to-school supplies in 2026. A fully stocked backpack means one less thing a family has to budget for during an already expensive time of year.