MOSES LAKE — It’s not too early to be thinking about back-to-school stuff. At least that’s the line of thought by more than 1,300 participating TCC and A Wireless stores across the U.S.

TCC and A Wireless stores, including the Moses Lake store on South Pioneer Way, are inviting families and their children to visit select locations between noon and 3 p.m. on July 30 to pick up a backpack filled with various school supplies, including pencils, paper, a pencil box, folders and glue. One backpack per child present will be given away on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last.

“Every year, TCC employees and communities around the country look forward to the backpack giveaway,” TCC CEO Scott Moorehead said. “It brings our employees immense joy to give back to the young children, and we are proud to put so many smiles on the faces of the deserving families who have made this annual event such a success.”

Each participating TCC store will donate 250 backpacks and each A Wireless store will donate 125 backpacks. All leftover backpacks will be donated to local schools.

“When given the opportunity, doing good is important, and taking such opportunities to help, lift up and encourage others is a privilege,” said Bryan Bevin, president and CEO. “At A Wireless we don’t just want to be doers of good, we want to inspire a Culture of Good.”

In 2015, the National Retail Federation predicted the average person with children in grades K-12 would spend $97.74 on school supplies such as notebooks, pencils and backpacks. With more than 16 million children in the U.S. living in poverty, TCC is working to alleviate the rising costs of school supplies through this annual program.

TCC makes ongoing investments in the communities in which it does business through its Culture of Good.

In 2015, its efforts included donating $1 million to Riley Hospital for Children, providing 100,000 backpacks full of school supplies to children, giving supply packs to 5,000 teachers and contributing $100,000 in grants to organizations focused on improving the environment.