Philadelphia stores help kids get outfitted for back to school with giveaways

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Some stores and community organizations in Philadelphia held events Sunday to help families with the cost of back-to-school items.

Octane, a clothing store, partnered with Olney High School to give away free school uniforms Sunday.

"Sometimes they're not getting everything they deserve because maybe it's not available to them and we want to give them everything we can back so that they can be impactful and efficient in the school day," said Leigh Pesko, the assistant principal.

The store had 500 pairs of Dickies pants valued at $40 each to give to any kid registered at the high school.

"It's part of our duty as a small business in the local community to be able to give back. It's a community that has kind of been hit hard between the economic factors that are happening today in the country and the unfortunate rise of gun violence in the community," said Nofry Hananel, the store's owner.

The first nine kids in line also got free backpacks. Students said they're grateful for the help.

"It's hard times right now. People don't have enough money for the Dickies because they're expensive, and I'm saying the fact that it's free and people can come in and get free Dickies, it's cool," said Amari Alvin, who's going into his senior year.

In Germantown, the clothing store DTLR set up a pop-up barber shop inside with the goal of giving 100 neighborhood kids free haircuts Sunday.

"You remember on your first day you had your outfit laid out, everything was ready," said Tremayne Libscomb, the community outreach director of the store.

The clothing store partnered with Wild Styles Barber Shop in the neighborhood to hold their event. Kids received backpacks and mental health resources, like journals and fidget spinners, too.

"We wanted to take care of the whole boy, so just making sure his haircut was fresh, provide some relief for the families, especially in these times. (It's) one less thing they got to worry about," said Libscomb.

Outfitting kids for back-to-school is expensive. Experts say the average family is spending $527.

Shoppers in New Jersey are getting some relief with a sales tax holiday for the next 10 days. That means shoppers will not pay the state's 6.626% sales tax on items like pens and pencils, sports equipment, art supplies, and computers.

Philadelphia students return to school on August 29.