There was a special event that took place last Saturday at Halas Hall.
The Bears and Bears Care hosted the 16th annual Back to School Fair at 2024 EGO outdoor Power Equipment Chicago Bears Training Camp. The event was supported by PNC Bank, the official bank of the Bears, for the ninth straight year and welcomed more than 1,500 guests from underserved communities on the West Side of Chicago, with a focus on the Austin neighborhood.
The Back to School Fair supports students from Pre-K to eighth grade on their educational journey and is a key initiative for Bears Care and its partners. More than 1,000 backpacks that PNC Bank employee volunteers and Bears staff families filled with school supplies were distributed at the event.
Bears Care has now held three Back to School Fairs during training camp at Halas Hall.
"It's a wonderful opportunity to host families from different neighborhoods in and around Chicago who can use a little bit of extra support getting their children ready for the upcoming school year," said director of Bears Care Marge Hamm. "To be able to provide the supplies and services we make available at the Fair to our guests is important, but to be able to do that while also offering the families the special experience of watching the Chicago Bears practice at Halas Hall makes for a memorable day."
Hamm said that for most guests who attend the event it provides their first chance to engage with the Bears in person. It also creates a touch point for Bears Care to broaden its reach and learn more about some of the smaller not-for-profit neighborhood organizations that play critical roles in supporting their communities.
Resources that were given out at the Back to School Fair included:
- Backpacks filled with school supplies provided by PNC Bank
- Haircuts provided by Funk's Barbershop
- Books provided by Young, Black & Lit
- Produce bags provided by Northern Illinois Food Bank
- Beverages provided by Dr Pepper
- Two kids bedroom sets donated by Steinhafels
- Potato chips by Frito Lay
- Snacks by SNICKERS
- Pizza by Connie's Pizza
- Bags of popcorn by Nuts on Clark
- Hot dogs by Vienna Beef
The Bears and Bears Care hosted the 16th annual Back to School Fair Saturday with support from PNC Bank. Over 1,500 guests from underserved communities on Chicago's West Side were welcomed to Halas Hall, where they received backpacks filled with supplies for the upcoming school year.
After the students watched practice and enjoyed autograph opportunities, they were treated to a surprise giveaway in the Walter Payton Center as Bears Care presented them with over 800 pairs of Nike gym shoes.
Bears Care partnered with various community organizations to coordinate the Back to School Fair. BUILD led efforts in Austin, and other participating groups included the Chicago Park District/La Follette Park Wildcats, Rusu-McCartin Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago, By the Hand Club for Kids and several schools serving the West Side.
"We were able to add a surprise giveaway after practice this year as well and gift each student attending with a new pair of Nike shoes which elicited smiles and thank yous all around," Hamm said. "Mindful of what was going on in Canton that same afternoon, one group of students created a banner they brought to the Fair, sharing their love and sending congratulations to #76 (Steve McMichael) on his enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It was great a great day at Halas Hall and in Canton to be a Bears fan."
