ALEXANDRIA, La. (WNTZ) – Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers will hold its fourth annual Project Backpack giveaway on Friday, July 18, providing hundreds of backpacks filled with school supplies to students across Central Louisiana and Lafayette Parish.

The public event will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Laborde Earles Coliseum, 5600 Coliseum Blvd. in Alexandria. Backpacks will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis to students in pre-K through eighth grade, who must be present to receive the supplies.

Mesh and canvas backpacks will be available, with a limit of one per student. Applicants must be able to pick up backpacks in person at the coliseum.

“There are many families in our community that find the back-to-school season financially challenging,” said Digger Earles, partner at Laborde Earles. “We are grateful for the opportunity to help ease some of those burdens by providing backpacks and supplies.”

David Laborde, also a partner at the firm, added, “We want to support our community in any way we can, and this giveaway is a way for us to give back and show our appreciation for the trust and support we receive from local families.”

Applications for Project Backpack are now open. For more information or to apply, visit OnMySide.com/project-backpack-applications/.