How Our Annual Back-to-School Celebration Helps Our Youth Start the Year with Confidence
Phoenix, AZ July 22, 2026
More than 150 youth, caregivers, mentors, volunteers, and community supporters recently came together at our home base for the annual New Pathways for Youth Back-to-School Celebration. It was a day filled with deep connection, mutual encouragement, and thoughtful preparation for the school year ahead.
While equipping our youth with essential school supplies is a big part of the day, our goals went much deeper. This celebration gave our young people and their families a vital opportunity to reconnect with their community, celebrate their personal growth, and step into the new school year feeling fully supported and equipped for success.
Equipping Our Youth and Supporting Our Families
We designed the day to offer meaningful programming and fun for our entire community:
- For Our Youth & Mentors: Participants from our Teen and Young Adult Power Ups joined their mentors for a financial literacy workshop hosted by Copper State Credit Union, part of our ongoing Skill Labs series. Together, they gained practical tools to help our youth advance toward financial independent living.
- For Our Caregivers: Our trauma-informed facilitators guided caregivers through an impactful, supportive discussion focused on “Academic and Career Success.”
- For Our Community: Families enjoyed interactive activities, vision board creation, games, food, and plenty of opportunities to build lasting relationships with fellow participants.
“At New Pathways, we know that success in school starts with more than a backpack,” says Karen Johnson, our President and CEO. “Young people thrive when they have access to supportive relationships, caring adults, opportunities to grow, and a community that believes in their potential. This celebration is just one way we demonstrate that belief.”
Powered by Our Incredible Community
This event is a true community collaboration, and we are deeply grateful for the partners who help our students walk away ready to learn, grow, and thrive:
- A Personalized Shopping Experience: Rather than just receiving a handout, our youth got to explore a dedicated shopping area to personally select the back-to-school items and personal care products that fit their individual needs and style. This gave them the autonomy to choose exactly what they needed to feel confident on day one. We want to give a special thanks to American Studios and his founder David Engel for providing the high-quality backpacks, binders, and lunch bags our youth chose from and also, we want to extend our gratitude to many of many anonymous donors who supported with hygiene essentials and school supplies.
- Volunteer and food support: Target, represented by Jason Wirt, Store Director, served as the lead volunteer partner through a generous donation and exceptional commitment. Their team played a vital role in preparing for the event, setting up the shopping area, and distributing school supplies. We are also grateful to St. Mary’s Food Bank for providing essential food pantry items and fresh produce for our families to take home.
- Corporate Sponsorship: This vital work simply could not happen without the financial support of our event sponsors, Snell & Wilmer and United Healthcare Community Plan. Their corporate philanthropy and commitment to social responsibility allow us to amplify our reach and expand our programs for our youth and their families.
As our students head back to the classroom, we remain fully committed to creating pathways of possibility for every young person we serve—one relationship, one opportunity, and one success story at a time.