With the first day of school right around the corner, hundreds of military families are getting help preparing.

400 backpacks and school supplies were handed out to military children in Carthage. It was part of Operation Homefront Back-to-School Brigade with about 30 volunteers.

With Fort Drum being an economic powerhouse in the North Country, volunteers say it's important to support military families.

“Just a nice way of the community welcoming them and saying that we care about them,” said Operation Homefront Volunteer Tonia Russell. “Also a little help with the expenses."

Operation Homefront has held more than 60 back to school drives from coast to coast.