IOWA CITY — The Iowa City Area Association of REALTORS® (ICAAR) proudly announced the successful completion of its school supplies drive in support of the United Way of Johnson and Washington Counties’ annual Ready, Set, School event. Held August 15–16 at the Johnson County Fairgrounds, the event will help over 1,800 K–12 students prepare for the new school year by providing essential supplies and services.
Ready, Set, School is a collaborative effort involving United Way, The Salvation Army, Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Johnson County, and Open Heartland. The event offers students free school supplies, backpacks, dental and vision exams, vaccinations, and haircuts by appointment.
To support this vital community initiative, ICAAR coordinated a donation drive within the local real estate community from late June through early August 2025. ICAAR reached out to its member brokerages, affiliate businesses, and community partners to host collection bins at their offices. The response was overwhelmingly positive, with 23 brokerages and 35 drop-off sites across Johnson and Washington Counties participating.
Throughout the summer, ICAAR staff and volunteers worked diligently to distribute collection bins, share donation guidelines, and promote the drive through both digital channels and word-of-mouth. The campaign resulted in the collection of over 90 backpacks, along with a wide array of school supplies including notebooks, pencils, crayons, markers, folders, glue sticks, and more.
“This drive was a great example of how generous and engaged our REALTOR® members are. We’re proud to support the incredible work happening within our communities, and this project was a fun and meaningful way for so many brokerage offices and affiliates to come together and make a difference for local families,” said Megan Flewellyn, Executive Officer of ICAAR.
The contributions from ICAAR’s REALTOR® members, affiliates, and community partners will help dozens of local students start the school year prepared and confident. This drive exemplifies ICAAR’s commitment to giving back and supporting the communities it serves.
For more information about the Ready Set School event, please visit www.unitedwayjwc.org/backtoschool.