It's back to school time, which means parents are rushing to get their kids ready for class. For some that means getting insured.

Lynda Gavioli said, "We want to make sure that all children are healthy and have the necessary screenings before they go back to school. A sick child cannot learn."

Families started lining up at the Monroe Civic Center more than two hours before the event began. Vendors offered immunizations, free health screenings and nutritional information for families.
 
Lynda Gavioli is the executive director of the Children's Coalition. She says families struggling to find affordable health coverage may find relief through LaCHIP--the Louisiana Children's Health Insurance Program which offers low cost coverage for eligible children.

"These are some really hard decisions being made. Hopefully this program will help a lot of families through these times," Gavioli.

Gavioli says five percent of children eligible for LaChip are not enrolled in the program. They hope today's fair will help lower the amount of uninsured kids in the area. LaChip has even set up a booth where people can renew or sign there children up for insurance.
 
Mother of three Gina Owen lost her husband to cancer in 2007. She says the LaChip program is the only way she has been able to insure her three kids.

"When he passed away I was working even less. there was no, there wouldn't have been any health insurance without the LaChip program," said Owen.