100% FREE: Every Backpack & School Supply Giveaway in Huntsville & Madison (that I could find)

This July, I am using this space as a bit of a bulletin board for our neighbors here in Rocket City. After hearing from folks all over town, I've spent some time tracking down every legitimate free backpack and school supply giveaway I could confirm for the 2026-2027 school year. Some of this took real digging — a few names that circulate on social media didn't check out, and a couple only became verifiable once I found the actual event flyer. And then some, well the date has already passed. So consider this your one-stop, fact-checked list. (If not, please give me the correction!)

I've broken it into three parts: events I can confirm with dates, times and locations; a "keep an eye out" list of real organizations that may still announce something; and finally, where you can volunteer or donate if you're in a position to give back instead of receive.

✅ Confirmed Events

Alabama Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday
Friday, July 17 – Sunday, July 19, 2026
Statewide
No sales tax on qualifying clothing, computers, school supplies and books — the whole state participates, not just Huntsville/Madison.

Landmark Church Huntsville Backpack Giveaway
Saturday, July 18, 2026, 9:00 AM
13015 Memorial Parkway SW, Huntsville, AL 35803
100+ free backpacks filled with school supplies, first-come-first-served while supplies last.

Operation Big Book Bag — Theta Theta Sigma Alumnae Chapter (Sigma Gamma Rho) & Street Sweepers Motorcycle Club
Saturday, July 18, 2026, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Fellowship of Faith Church, N. Memorial Parkway, Huntsville, AL
Annual local chapter event tied to Sigma Gamma Rho's national Operation Big Book Bag initiative. Free backpacks and school supplies for area students.

Remarkable Church (St. Mark) — Hygiene Supply Drive
Now through Sunday, July 19, 2026
Drop off at both North Campus (6475 Moores Mill Road NE) and South Campus (3250 Dunn Drive SW), Huntsville
Collecting toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, feminine hygiene products, travel-size hand sanitizer, unscented lotion and bar soap for students in need.

City of Huntsville & CAFY Back to School Backpack and School Supply Giveaway
Saturday, July 25, 2026, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Calhoun Community College – Huntsville Campus, 102 Wynn Drive NW
The largest giveaway in the area. Hosted by the City's Office of Multicultural Affairs and Community Awareness for Youth (CAFY), in collaboration with Huntsville City Schools, Refuge Church, OneGenAway Food Distribution, and FIRSTStudent Bus Services. Free backpacks and school supplies, drive-thru groceries while supplies last, live music from the Huntsville Community Drumline, games, and family activities. No registration required.

SpringUp Ministries — "Fill a Bag, Fuel a Mind"
Saturday, July 25, 2026, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
North Huntsville Public Library, 3011 Sparkman Drive NW
100 free backpacks with school supplies for Pre-K through High School students. No registration required, first-come-first-served.

Note: because this runs the same day as the CAFY giveaway, families could realistically hit both events with good timing.

Cove Church — "More Than a Backpack"
Active now through Saturday, July 26, 2026
Cove Church, Huntsville
Partnering with Kids to Love to provide backpacks and full school supply kits specifically for children in foster care.

Madison Visionary Partners "P.A.C.T." Drive
Donation drop-off Monday, July 27 – Thursday, July 30, 2026, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Madison City Schools Central Office, 211 Celtic Drive, Madison
A joint effort between Madison Visionary Partners and Madison City Schools. Backpacks, supplies and clothing gift cards for MCS students are distributed directly through school counselors.

Grand Hollow "Back to School Block Party" with Kids to Love
Saturday, August 1, 2026, 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Grand Hollow, 215 Belfort Cir, Huntsville, AL 35811
Hosted by D.R. Horton and DHI Mortgage. Bring school supply donations for Kids to Love, plus enjoy food, drinks and a chance to connect with local real estate professionals. RSVP requested by July 31.

Remarkable Church (St. Mark) — "Back 2 School Bash"
Saturday, August 1, 2026, 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Remarkable South Campus, 3250 Dunn Drive SW, Huntsville, AL 35805
A family day of food, giveaways, interactive games and prizes.

KREO Foundation Back to School Backpack Giveaway
Sunday, August 2, 2026, 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Extended Stay America, 104 Intergraph Way, Madison, AL (also the drop-off location)
Free backpacks (first-come-first-served while supplies last), free professional haircuts, free hot dogs and hamburgers, and music by DJ 808. Hosted by the KREO Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Huntsville Havoc Backpack Drive
Dates typically late July (ran July 21–31 in 2025; 2026 dates not yet published)
Von Braun Center main office, Huntsville
Fans can drop off new backpacks (filled or unfilled) to benefit foster children through Kids to Love, and earn Havoc rewards points for donating.

👀 Worth Watching

These are real, verified organizations that are active in the community, but I either couldn't confirm a specific 2026 event date, or found conflicting details. Worth a direct call or a follow on social media before you make plans around them.

• The Bloom Together Organization / "North Huntsville" community event — a real, free event with haircuts and braiding available by registration, sponsors still being sought. Specific backpack quantities and carnival details were not confirmed directly by the organizer.
• CNI Solutions "Fresh 2 School" Braid-A-Thon — an established annual event at the Bob Harrison Senior Wellness Center; ran in late July/early August in recent years. 2026 date not yet posted.
• Searcy Homes Boys & Girls Club / Friends of 400 (Huntsville Housing Authority, 426 Dallas Ave) — active youth development programs; worth a direct call to ask about back-to-school resources.
• Salvation Army (Huntsville), Downtown Rescue Mission, Boys & Girls Clubs of North Alabama — all real, active organizations that commonly help with back-to-school needs, but no specific 2026 public event confirmed.

🤝 Where to Volunteer or Donate

• Kids to Love — kidstolove.org/more-than-a-backpack (ties to Cove Church, Huntsville Havoc, and Grand Hollow drives)
• Food Bank of North Alabama — foodbanknorthal.org/backpack-programs (year-round weekend food-backpack program)
• KREO Foundation — CashApp $kreofoundation, Zelle kreofoundation25@gmail.com, info@kreofoundation.org, (470) 426-2227
• SpringUp Ministries and Wellness Center — (256) 585-8054
• Theta Theta Sigma Alumnae Chapter (Sigma Gamma Rho) — search "Theta Theta Sigma Alumnae Chapter" on Facebook for volunteer/donation info
• Huntsville Havoc — drop off donations at the Von Braun Center main office during the drive window
• Madison Visionary Partners (P.A.C.T.) — donation drop-off at MCS Central Office, 211 Celtic Drive, Madison, July 27–30
• Remarkable Church supply and hygiene drives — drop off at either campus through July 19

If you know of a giveaway I missed — especially a small church or neighborhood drive that doesn't make it onto Google — send it my way and I'll add it in. Let's make sure every kid in Rocket City walks into that first day of school ready to go.

18 Years Later: Revisiting the 25 Reasons I'd Never Own a Restaurant

18 Years Later: Revisiting the 25 Reasons I'd Never Own a Restaurant

Back in 2008, I reposted a list on this blog. Twenty-five reasons a chef named Niall Harbison would never open a restaurant. I asked his permission, credited him properly, and then added my own little confession at the top — that 99% of his reasons were the same reasons I wrestled with the idea myself.

Here's what I didn't mention in that post: I wrote it from a ship.

Who's Feeding the Rocket City? The Food Charities Making a Real Difference

A career chef's honest look at the people, the organizations, and the mission behind feeding our neighbors right here in Huntsville and Madison, Alabama.

I've spent most of my adult life in professional kitchens. Running galleys on hospital ships off the coast of West Africa. Cooking for communities. Feeding people. And not just feeding them food — feeding them dignity, connection, something warm when the world felt cold. That's what food has always meant to me. It's not just calories and macros. It's ministry. It's service. It's love on a plate.

So when I look around the Rocket City and see what some of these organizations are doing — quietly, consistently, without fanfare — I feel something. Respect. Gratitude. And honestly? A little conviction. Because if you've been given the gift of knowing how to cook, knowing how to feed people well, there's a responsibility that comes with that.

Here's the landscape. Here's who's doing the work. And here's why it matters.

Shop the tyronebcookin Store — 368 Designs on Food, Faith, Family & Fun

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You've been watching me cook, following along on community serving days, and keeping up with the family adventures — and a lot of you have asked about the shirts. So let me properly introduce you to the store.

Over at my TeePublic store I've built out 368 designs across 9 collections — everything from chef life and BBQ culture to nurse appreciation, faith-based designs, family and parenting humor, vintage throwbacks, gamer styles, and more. Some of these designs I made for Stephanie when she started nursing. Some came straight out of the kitchen. Some are just things I wanted to exist in the world and didn't see anywhere else. All of it is me.

Lyon Family Farms — The Fall Day Trip Worth the Drive from Huntsville

Some days you just need to get the family out of the house, off the screens, and into something that actually feels like fall. That's exactly what we did when we loaded up and headed to Lyon Family Farms in Taft, Tennessee — and it was one of those outings where you're glad you made the drive.

We got there early, which I'd recommend. The morning light was beautiful, the crowds were still thin, and the whole place just had that crisp fall atmosphere you can't manufacture. By the time you're reading this, you might already know about Lyon Family Farms — they've been drawing families from all over the Tennessee Valley and North Alabama for years. But if this is your first time hearing about it, let me give you the rundown.

Early morning at Lyon Family Farms — the best time to arrive.

Southern Greens in 10 Minutes

Greens are delicious! Collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, beet greens...And even swiss chard. In this video, I prepare Swiss chard like a southern green. How do you do that? With pork fat!

This is a quick technique I use to produce some delicious greens in a short amount of time. I use leftover grease from quality hickory smoked bacon, red pepper flake, and fresh garlic. That's about it except for seasoning with salt. Enjoy!

Check out my Kitchen Best Buys! I have been working a lot on this lately! These are some of my top picks of things I use in the kitchen. If you look closely enough in my videos you can see that I use the products I endorse. If you have some suggestions on things you would like to see or items I should review leave it in the comments. THANK YOU for visiting our website and watching our videos!

The Bcookin Show Too! (Pizza)

Tytus and I have made some improvements. I am getting a little better at editing and using the "thumbnail, end screen, subscribe button, watermark, and next video/playlist" add-ons for Youtube.

In this next video you may recognize some older clips that I pieced together. Eventually we will break it all down in newer shows but for right now we are getting the feel of things. 

What does that mean? we will video more technique and recipe breakdown. Showing you how we do it. 

• Make the dough, 
• ingredients we use, 
• equipment,
• tips and tricks...

But for now, thanks for being patient as we work this all out. 

* Thank you Anne and Beth for emailing in your suggestions and comments! We appreciate the encouragement!

The Bcookin Show!

Tytus and dad Tyrone work on a video food show project. These are our debut trials. We are not going for perfection. Real and Raw...family style that is. Flaws and all. I will do some editing and of course, we will get better along the way. Thank you for watching!

In the video, Tytus is toasting some premade biscuits baked earlier in the week. We often prep and cook food ahead of time and then mix and match. And yes, we also use the microwave to reheat. We opted for a small microwave with no extras. It has a power knob and a time knob. That's it. If it's more complicated than that we don't use it.

Tytus also knows that we use wood or non-metal utensils in our nonstick pans. But you know what? It's a perfect opportunity to encourage and reinforce doing the right thing. 

Please leave or send us your comments and questions. info@tyronebcookin.com

• You want to see Tytus cook a certain food?
• Have any cooking questions you want Tytus or I to answer?
• Are there any techniques you would like to see?
• Interested in any of the tools or appliances we use?

Your participation will also help us develop which way this will go. We encourage your participation!

Stay TUNED we'll try to keep you posted at least once a week!

It's Busy!

Lately at our household we have had so many commitments, social engagements, and additional work details that it was almost to hard to keep up with! And our household (wife and two small boys, toddler and infant) has had an ongoing case of the sniffles, coughs, and pneumonia (myself) that keeps on hanging on and dragging out more doctors appointments. So, of course the first thing that starts getting behind is my posting.

I have a few posts in the draft mode coming up...recently I joined a contest that involved using some new dessert glasses from Cambro and will be posting soon. One thing I really need to work on is taking more pictures! Recently we did a Christmas Banquet for the academy teachers and I was to busy to get pics. Sigh.

Merry Christmas everyone!!! (In case you or I don't make it back here again!)

Mimi & Papas House!

Most Saturdays I bring both of my boys to Frizzles to meet Mimi & Papa (my parents). Sometimes my wife (Steph) comes or is sleeping in from working the night before. Mimi and Papa enjoy time playing with Tytus (now 2.5) and holding Ezra(and playing as much as a 2 month old does).

Frizzles is like a Dairy Queen, but not. They have frozen custard, not soft serve ice cream and the menu's have similar things by the way of chicken fingers and burgers.

On Saturday morning they open fairly early for not serving breakfast. I think store hours they open by 9 or 9:30am and we show up between 930 and 10am. We are usually the only people there the first hour or so and Tytus is rip roaring and running around the restaurant inside. We order a drink and get a fry, or custard to share with Tytus. Occasionally we give him 'pieces' (pennies or change) to put in the big plastic Children's Miracle Network container which has your change go round & round and thru 'mousetrap' or Ferris Wheel kind of contraptions before finally falling to the bottom. Quite entertaining for him. We hang out for awhile and 'catch up' then go our separate ways. A good time is had by all!

What has happened over time is Tytus has gotten so used to seeing Mimi & Papa at Frizzles (and have been there more times than their actual house) that Tytus now thinks Mimi & Papa LIVE at Frizzles! And if that's not funny enough...every time we drive by Frizzles he starts hollering 'Dat's Mimi & Papa's house, Mimi & Papa's house!!!" and will continue to do so till I agree with him!

New Son! ~ New Job!

Right now I am at home happily enjoying time with my newest son, Ezra Michael! I have two boys now and I am extremely happy! Ezra Michael and Tytus Nathaniel!

In August I start my role as the new Food Service Director/Executive Chef at a local private Christian academy that's also attached to a church. Its a start-up, meaning they have a brand new commercial kitchen (its only a few years old) that is used by the church for conferences and events but have 'just arrived' at a place where its time to really kick it in gear and 'take it to the next level' by offering school meals and other events on a regular basis.

In between feeding the new baby (and he eats A LOT) and spending time with Tytus while he adjusts to having a baby brother my wife allows me to work on menu's, a small-ware order that's pending, paperwork...and getting ready for the main priority, health department inspection. We just need to vent and put an exhaust fan in a pantry area that will house another 3 door commercial refrigerator. 

Getting Ready!

Smoking 2 pork shoulders w/apple wood. Going on hour 10. Gonna be ready for July 4th!