Champion Martial Arts LIC is giving away 100 free backpack items in Long Island City on Saturday, Aug. 15, for families with school-aged children. Registration is open, and the giveaway will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 49-15 Vernon Blvd.
William Dobie, the Head Master at Champion Martial Arts LIC, said around 20 people had already signed up after registration opened on Saturday. He said, “Once it hits 100, the registration closes, so it’s better for people to register as soon as they can.”
William Dobie at Champion LIC
The giveaway is open to all families with school-aged children in the neighborhood, even if they are not members of Champion Martial Arts. Champion LIC bought all 100 backpacks, and Dobie said the center has hosted free back-to-school backpack giveaways for the last four years.
He said the aim is to help families with school expenses and make sure children have what they need for school. “The amount of supplies that kids need can add up, with notebooks and binders and everything else,” he said. “So we wanted to just do our best to help alleviate at least some of the school expenses for as many kids as we can.”
49-15 Vernon Blvd.
Dobie said the giveaways often fill before the day they are scheduled, which puts pressure on families to register quickly. The 100-backpack limit means the first people to sign up are the ones most likely to receive one, and the giveaway stops accepting registrations once that cap is reached.
“What’s most important to us is just serving the community and just serving the people here,” Dobie said. “It’s always good to see how much of an impact it makes just in a family’s life. So it’s always good to meet people in the community and just put ourselves out there.”
Long Island City
The giveaway offers a simple path for local families: register now, then show up at Champion Martial Arts LIC during the 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. window on Saturday, Aug. 15, if a backpack is secured. For parents balancing school costs, the immediate step is to sign up before the remaining slots disappear.
