A Bronx native is giving back by giving out free school supplies to local kids.

Author Veronica Backmon held the back-to-school event Sunday at Soundview Park, where they gave away free backpacks and school supplies.

"We have a lot of people in this community who are impoverished," Backmon says. "I felt like the strain of inflation, and all the different things that are going on, this could definitely give some families a boost, they really need it."

Backmon says people would be surprised to find out just how many families cannot afford to send their kids back to school with backpacks and pencils.

"Anything that I could do of assistance and give back, and offer some kind of relief, I'm willing to do it, and that's what I'm doing," Backmon says.