Chile, families in Hayward need to put one date on the fridge: Saturday, August 8, 2026, 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM at the HUSD Parent Resource Center Hub, 24823 Soto Road.
That’s the tentative date for the Annual Backpack Giveaway, Resource Fair, and Car Show — and the official HUSD page flags it as TENTATIVE PENDING NEW SCHOOL YEAR CALENDAR, so confirm before heading out.
What’s actually free that morning: backpacks (first-come, first-served, no registration), haircuts and braiding (limited space, first-come), vaccinations (registration required), and bike repair (advance registration). Add a health and wellness resource fair, mobile recreation, library services, food, music, and a car show. Patelco Credit Union recapped the 2025 edition on X — over 2,500 backpacks went out the door, which tells you what kind of scale to expect at the Soto Road lot.
Beyond August, year-round school support in Hayward is genuinely strong. The Hayward Public Library’s Homework Support Center runs free K-12 drop-in tutoring at the Downtown branch (888 C Street) and the Weekes branch (27300 Patrick Avenue), Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 3:30 to 5:30 PM, with laptops, printing, and internet on site.
Per the library, twelve locations total host the program — both branches plus ten HUSD schools — all free, all welcome…