SIOUX FALLS, S.D (KELO) —With the rising prices, it’s been an expensive year to buy school supplies.

Every August since the Early 90’s, Project SOS has been supplying local students with the tools they need to succeed in school.

“The first couple of years it was a couple hundred bags, maybe just under 1000, but we’ve really really have had significant growth over the years,” Executive Director at The Banquet, Tamera Jerke-Liesinger said.

This year, volunteers gave out more than 5,800 backpacks, helping both students and their families.

“So if Project SOS can take away one of those burdens from that family, and we can make sure that those kids go into school on the first day with the same things that all the other kids have and need for their academic career, then we know we’re helping out the families and the children,” said Jerke-Liesinger.

While some people may think new backpacks, notebooks and crayons are not a necessity, it can really change a student’s experience.

“I have young kids myself, and I think of how kids can be mean sometimes, and it’s hard to be on a level playing field, so it’s a very easy way to put all kids on a level playing field, because if you show up day one to school and you don’t have the right notebooks or folders you’re already kind of ‘I’m behind’, where if they can come get their stuff then they’re equipped to succeed,” said Andrew Hewitt, Development & Marketing Director at The Banquet.

Although the distribution days are over, there are still backpacks available for anyone who needs one.

If your child still need school supplies, you can call The Banquet.