BUFFALO, N.Y. — Summer is winding down and kids will be heading back to school soon. The City of Buffalo is providing students with bookbags filled with school supplies to help them prepare.

More than 600 backpacks were given out on Sunday at the Martha Mitchell Community Center as part of the annual Back to School Giveaway. Families also received masks and haircuts.

University District Councilmember Rasheed Wyatt partnered with several groups to provide the materials to the kids.

Wyatt says the event will ensure kids are ready for class.

"Especially after we went through a year, a pandemic, we're trying to get our kids back on the right foot and how better can we do that but making sure that parents have the book bags, supplies they need," said Wyatt. "So that for the first day of school, they don't have to worry about going out and getting supplies. They have that. So that hopefully what they lost last year, hopefully, they can get back on track and regain what they lost from last year."

Wyatt says this event helps put underserved students on an "even playing field."