From late June through early August 2025, ICAAR collected donations for United Way of Johnson and Washington Counties’ annual Ready Set School event. Taking place August 15–16 at the Johnson County Fairgrounds, the event helps over 1,800 local K–12 students prepare for the school year. Ready Set School is a collaboration between United Way, The Salvation Army, Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Johnson County, and Open Heartland. Students receive free school supplies, backpacks, dental and vision exams, vaccinations, and haircuts by appointment.
ICAAR’s Role in the Drive
ICAAR spearheaded a coordinated donation effort within the local real estate community. We reached out to our member brokerages, affiliate businesses, and community partners to invite them to host collection bins at their offices, resulting in 23 brokerages and 35 total drop-off sites across Johnson and Washington Counties stepping up to participate.
Throughout the summer, ICAAR staff and volunteers distributed bins, shared guidelines, and promoted the drive online and in the community. Many offices went above and beyond by engaging their teams, clients, and families to contribute. In the end, we were proud to collect 90+ backpacks, along with boxes full of notebooks, pencils, crayons, markers, folders, glue sticks, and other essential supplies.
Thanks to the collective effort of our REALTOR® members, affiliates, and partners, dozens of students in our region will walk into the new school year more prepared and confident. We’re proud to play a small part in such a meaningful event. This drive is just one of the many ways ICAAR gives back to the communities we serve and demonstrates the REALTOR® spirit of leadership and service.
