MILWAUKEE, (CBS 58) -- If you can believe it, the school year is already around the corner.

To help kids feel confident and prepared, Rocketship Southside Community Prep is kicking off the year with a Back to School Jam.

"They're the future and if we give them the keys that they need then they're more likely to succeed and we need kids to succeed now more than ever," said Courtney Rae, Back to School Jam 2025, Coordinator.

On Sunday, the community came together to make sure every child starts the year off prepared. 

"It's just a sense of community, true togetherness we're out here right now sweating and we are all smiling and we are doing what we gotta do because we're happy to be here," said Rae. 

In the Southside Rocketship Community Prep parking lot, tents set up with mounds of backpacks, snacks, googy slime and even bounce houses for kids to enjoy.

Coordinator Courtney Rae says Back to School Jam 2025 is a parent led event. This year providing 534 backpacks to kids in need.

"Each backpack will contain a pack of looseleaf paper, a notebook, a folder, pack of crayons, pack of markers, pencils, glue sticks a pencil pouch, and I'm thinking some hand sanitizer, and we just kind of threw some extra stuff in there along the way," Rae explained.

Hair stylist Katie Schmidtke volunteered her day giving the kids a fresh new look.

"He was looking to look crazy when he came in unfortunately, I'd rather take my time a little bit it means I stay a little later just so we can make everybody feel good when you look good you feel good," said Katie Schmidtke, Katie the Stylist.

This is the second year for the Back to School Jam, Schmidtke says she wants to see more people stepping up for these kids.

"They deserve it. You know it doesn't matter where you come from the more things you get resources you can have to make you feel better and succeed the better," said Schmidtke.

Rae says they plan to continue to grow this event each year, making sure no child feels left behind. 

"Even if it's not a 500 backpack giveaway small contributions to your community will really impact the way we start to see the future people and future generations," said Rae.