It’s that time of the year when people stock up on school supplies, books and bags. For people like Ashley Jimenez, whose family is one of the thousands of families living in the hotels and motels along US-192, back-to-school shopping can be a nightmare.

“We were getting stressed out. I recently lost my job and I really didn’t have enough money to get stuff for them,” Jimenez said.

Jimenez and her family aren’t alone. Last school year about 4,700 students were registered as “In Transition” or homeless in Osceola County.

That’s why the Community Hope Center decided they were going to give away school supplies, clothes and food to hundreds of students Saturday.

“These families are already in so much need, needing all of these supplies. If we can fill that need for them then that’s what we want to do,” said Mary Downey with the Community Hope Center.

Saturday hundreds of families got a bit of a break from back-to-school shopping.

“Their parents know that this is a safe place for them to come back and get services and get out of that situation to break that cycle of homelessness,” Downey said.

The Community Hope Center also had dozens of other health and wellness organizations at their big school giveaway. They hope to be able to help even more people next year.