LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - A phone carrier company in Lincoln was helping students and families with something different on Saturday. Instead of browsing the walls for a new phone, they could browse the backpacks being given out for free just in time for the start of the school year.

Wireless Word staff were lined up inside ready to give out backpacks and school supplies to any student that wanted them.

The company has been participating in this backpack giveaway for the past five years. Students of all ages browsed the tables of backpacks and chose which one they will wear for the upcoming school year.

“One of Wireless World’s main core values is ‘serving the community,’” said Marcus Malcom, district manager of Wireless World. “It’s just something that five years ago when we started it, we wanted to give back to our communities and it just kind of sparked it.”

Staff said the backpacks are also filled with some essentials like a notebook and pencils. They give these supplies to students from all over the city and they are happy to help out families and make preparing for a new school year a little less stressful.

“Times are tough right now with prices and everything, so to be able to give back to the community that serves us, that we are able to take care of just on the cell phone side, to be able to take care of their families, it’s a great thing, a great feeling,” Malcom said.

They said the event just keeps growing.

“We’ve seen a real influx in people that are showing interest in it,” said Paul Martin, assistant manager of Wireless World. “Every year we get more and more people, we’ve had to bring in more and more backpacks which is not a bad problem to have”

The giveaway started at 10 a.m. on Saturday. Staff handed out backpacks until they were all gone. If you missed this year’s event, they plan on doing this year after year to support the youth in the Lincoln community.

Staff said students and families began lining up at 8:30 a.m. They estimated at least 100 students came through to grab their supplies.