KIRKSVILLE -- Back to school can be a stressful time for parents and children.

The First United Methodist Church teamed up with United Way and the Salvation Army and other local organizations for the Back to School Fair.

The event was held at the Kirksville Primary School on Thursday morning.

The best part; it was all free!

Coordinator for the event Melissa Kinney said the fair has been in the planning stages for months.

"During the middle of winter we started buying supplies and things that were on sale and for the last week it has been pretty intense. We've been doing a lot of shopping and a lot of members of our church have come together. It's great way to put things together for the kids to have a nice school pack," Kinney said.

Megin Moore, a mother of four, just moved to Kirksville from Jefferson City.

"If I cant get the little things they need then the school would be behind. This just helps out. It helps me not have to worry about the essentials like pencils and crayons and focus more on clothes and shoes.

The Back to School Fair has been an instant success around the community for years and there are no intentions of slowing down next summer.