Hundreds of Katy-area students picked up new backpacks loaded with school supplies on Sunday, three days before the first bell rings Wednesday for the 2026-27 school year.
Operation Back 2 School distributed 575 backpacks to local students, Katy ISD announced on its official X account. The district credited community generosity for making the giveaway possible.
Operation Back 2 School is a program of Compassion Katy, a Katy-based nonprofit, according to the organization's website. Each backpack costs roughly $50 to fill with essential supplies, putting the estimated value of Sunday's distribution at about $28,750.
Sunday's event appears to be one of multiple distribution days this year. Compassion Katy distributed 4,500 backpacks in 2025 and set a goal of 5,000 for 2026, according to the nonprofit's website. At that pace, Sunday's 575 backpacks represent a fraction of the organization's broader effort to equip students across the Katy area.
Katy ISD's first day of school is Wednesday, Aug. 12. The district is one of more than a dozen Houston-area systems returning that same day, including Cy-Fair, Conroe and Klein ISDs, according to KPRC 2.
As we reported Aug. 4, other Katy nonprofits including Clothed by Faith have been collecting supplies and clothing ahead of the first day. Families still looking for back-to-school resources can visit compassionkaty.org for information on upcoming programs.
What's next
- Wednesday, Aug. 12 — First day of school for Katy ISD students.
