Diaz family gives out hundreds of school supplies

A long line snaked around The Chill Zone Wednesday morning, but the queue wasn’t for tasty frozen yogurt.

As the 2024-25 school year inches closer, The Chill Zone did its part to help parents and students get ready by handing out free school supplies.

Local business owners Elaine and James Diaz host the popular “Back-To-School, School Supplies Distribution” each year and have seen it grow from about two dozen backpacks filled with school supplies given away in year one to about 300 this year.

“I think this might be our biggest one. We have almost 300 backpacks to distribute today,” Elaine Diaz said. “This is what we're meant to do. We're making a difference, one home at a time.”

The Diazes own The Chill Zone, Diaz Landscaping and Diaz RV and Marine Storage. This annual event is their way to give back to Rio Rancho and was inspired by their sons.

“We just love to give back to the community,” Elaine Diaz said. “My two young boys said, ‘Why don’t we give out school supplies?’”

Diaz purchases most of the supplies with some others being donated by Joanna Boothe from State Farm.