Mayor’s Back to School and Health Fair set for Aug. 2; organizers aim to distribute 20,000 backpacks

HOUSTON — City officials and community partners announced Tuesday that the Mayor’s Back to School and Health Fair, presented by Shell, will be held Saturday, Aug. 2, 2025, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., and organizers said they aim to distribute 20,000 backpacks and school supplies to students.

The event, organized by the mayor’s office in partnership with Shell and the Houston Food Bank, will include food distribution, community resources and volunteer-led distribution. Organizers said registered attendees can ride to the event from any metro stop for free and that walk-ups will be served.

“At Shell, we are committed to providing more and cleaner energy for the future and sustainable energy for today,” said Ava Routt, HR manager for DEI, community outreach and supplier development at Shell USA. “We are excited to partner in this initiative today to give back to the community and help grow the future talent of Houston.”

Brian Green, chief executive officer of the Houston Food Bank, said the food bank supports the fair because many of the families it serves have children who need help getting ready for the school year. “Getting kids off to a good start for their school year makes a huge difference,” Green said. He added that student volunteers at the food bank take leadership roles, supervising volunteer crews that help with distribution.

Pastor Council Member Willie Davis, at-large position 2, spoke on behalf of Mayor John Whitmire and highlighted the event’s scale and accessibility. “We don’t turn anyone away,” Davis said, referring to distribution of backpacks and supplies. He and other organizers encouraged families to register in advance at the city website and to attend whether or not they registered.

Ricardo Montaleno Magdaleno, director of special events in the mayor’s office, said he has worked on the event for more than 15 years and described it as “a labor of love,” thanking sponsors and volunteers for supporting families across Houston.

Organizers credited Shell with sponsorship and volunteer support and said the Houston Food Bank is a lead implementation partner for food distribution and volunteer coordination. They provided a registration link: www.houstontx.gov/btsf and reiterated that registration makes a free metro ride available but is not required to receive supplies.

Event organizers did not specify the total number of volunteers on site, the complete list of participating sponsors beyond Shell and the Houston Food Bank, or the exact mechanism for distributing backpacks among schools and neighborhoods. Those details were not provided in the remarks.