HOUSTON -- Thousands of people braved the early-morning heat Saturday and got in line at Parker Elementary.  The southeast Houston school was the scene of a huge giveaway for needy families.

"The way the economy is right now, it's expensive to go buy a lot of things.  This helps," single mother Ana Medlin said.

A total of 2,000 students from 10 different Houston Independent School District schools in the east end were registered for the event.  The students were selected last school year and the parents were told they were on the list.  But the free backpacks, clothes and food almost didn't happen.

"I know times are really tough right now.  I did not get near the number of donations that I get.  My donations were cut in half.  I usually can at least make $20,000 to buy all of the supplies, but this time I didn't even make that much," said Theresa Gutierrez, executive director of La Rosa Family Services.

Thanks to various donors, the event was a success. 

The need to get children started on the right foot is great in the east end area.  According to HISD, 90 percent of the students in the region are at or below the poverty level.