Written by Er Guan
Translated by H.B. Qin
Edited by Ariel Tsai
The annual Mayor’s Back to School Fair in Dallas is the most anticipated day of the year for low-income families and students. It provides free school supplies, backpacks, uniforms, and health checkups. This year marks the 29th iteration of the event. The Tzu Chi USA Central Region has participated since 2003, making this its 22nd consecutive year of involvement. The fair is held at Fair Park in Dallas.
Prior to the event, the Dallas City Government would verify families’ eligibility as low-income households. Only those who were determined to be eligible would be admitted to the Back to School Fair.
Preparing Uniforms and Setting Up the Venue in Advance
Months before the Back-to-School Fair, Tzu Chi volunteers had already prepared 4,000 brand-new student uniforms for distribution on the day of the event. The day before the event, volunteers went to Expo Park to set up the venue and complete preparations. At 6 A.M. on August 1, Dallas Tzu Chi volunteers gathered at the Central Region Office and then drove about 20 minutes to the site to begin organizing supplies.
Volunteers neatly arranged the uniforms, placed bamboo banks, eco-friendly products, and Jing Si Aphorisms. The minimalist setup radiated Tzu Chi’s humanistic spirit, standing out distinctly among the colorful booths.
Conveying Love and Planting Seeds of Kindness
The event began at 8 a.m., with parents and students arriving one after another. The distribution site was packed with people, bustling yet orderly. Volunteers warmly welcomed families receiving supplies, offering friendly greetings, and helping children select uniforms in the right sizes. Besides the uniform distribution, volunteers seized the opportunity to share the story of the bamboo bank and environmental values, encouraging daily acts of kindness and the accumulation of compassion to sustain the flow of helping hands.
For 22 years, Tzu Chi volunteers in Dallas have steadfastly upheld their commitment, accompanying underprivileged families with compassion. The new uniforms represent more than material supplies; they symbolize confidence and hope. As the children put on their new uniforms, they carry Tzu Chi’s blessings into the new school year. Each year during the Back to School Fair, Dallas Tzu Chi volunteers seize this opportunity to sow seeds of kindness, hoping the children will strive in their studies and build a future filled with hope.
Expressions of Gratitude
Yuanliang Ling, Executive Director of the Central Region Chapter, said, “Today’s Back to School Fair saw an exceptionally large turnout. Due to recent economic challenges, the Central Region Chapter specially prepared 4,000 uniforms for distribution to low-income students. Only families verified by the city government as low-income were admitted to this venue. Each person will receive a uniform from us, and we promote the Jing Si Aphorisms, environmental awareness, and the bamboo bank.”
This is a comprehensive event. The Central Region has participated for 22 years, hoping the program will continue to benefit more low-income children. We are deeply grateful!
Ms. Jiroah King from Dallas expressed her gratitude: “My family has been facing significant financial strain recently. Receiving these uniforms from Tzu Chi today not only saves us a considerable expense but also makes me feel the community’s acceptance and support for our family.”
Eddy Mercado, a new immigrant from Peru who has been in the U.S. for two years, shared, “In a foreign land, everything is unfamiliar, and my children must adapt to new schools. Today, besides getting the uniforms we needed, Tzu Chi volunteers taught me how to sort trash and conserve water and electricity. These are environmental concepts I was never aware of back home, and I’ll gradually put them into practice.”
Tzu Chi Central Region volunteers nurtured the soil of education with love, sowing seeds of kindness on back-to-school day. They enabled children to begin the new semester under blessings and allowed families to feel warmth and hope amidst hardship.
