Los Angeles Mission Helps Prepare Homeless Children to Start the New School Year at Its Third Annual Back-to-School Fair & Supply Giveaway

LOS ANGELES, August 10, 2023 (Newswire.com) -  On July 29, Los Angeles Mission, in collaboration with foster agencies Guardians of Love, Coco's Angels, and Inner Circle, launched its Third Annual Back-to-School Fair & Supply Giveaway. The event, which took place at Iglesia Cristiana Sembrando Esperanza, supported over 350 foster families currently in the foster care system. 

"Our deepest desire is to ignite a spark of joy and readiness within the hearts of these children so they can eagerly embrace the arrival of the new school year," said Pastor Troy Vaughn, President and CEO of Los Angeles Mission. "Every student deserves to step into their educational journey with a heart filled with hope and the essential tools to thrive, irrespective of their financial circumstances."

The presenting sponsor CVS Health made a generous check presentation of $50,000. This gift will help kick-start mental health services at Los Angeles Mission and increase access for children and families experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles County. The Project Health mobile van provided by CVS Health also helped make it an extra-healthy occasion, offering free physical and mental health screenings to those most vulnerable Angelenos. This donation is more than just a financial gift; it's a symbol of hope for the community.  

"The Los Angeles Mission is such an incredible organization, working to ensure equitable access to the support and resources children and their families need to thrive," said Jeff Hermosillo, West Region President, Aetna, a CVS Health company. "We are helping to increase their impact to support the launch of Los Angeles Mission's mental health services program because we believe high-quality mental health services should be available to everyone and that mental health is just as important as physical health."

This resource fair featured free clothes, shoes, backpacks, food, school supplies, music, haircuts, manicures, and a range of activities for kids ages 0-17. Target, which set up a bespoke shopping experience, mobilized 50 employee volunteers to distribute much-needed back-to-school supplies. 

"As parents, it is heartbreaking to witness the struggles that children in foster homes face when it comes to their education," noted Kinikki Fullerwood, CEO of Guardians of Love. "Many of these precious kids dread going to school due to the lack of brand-new clothes or trendy items, fearing they will be singled out or bullied. The Back-to-School Fair aims to uplift and support these children, providing encouragement and igniting a flame of motivation within them, allowing them to thrive academically."

Race To Feed is a program launched by Los Angeles Mission in October 2021. It is a response to food insecurity which helps individuals stabilize and reinvest resources in their communities. Since its inception, this program has provided over four million meals to struggling families across L.A. County. Through this program, attendees left the back-to-school event with a full week of groceries. 

Vaughn concluded by stating "The Los Angeles Mission is grateful to all of our partners, including Supervisor Hilda Solis, Walmart, Chick-Fil-A, CVS Health, Project Health, Target, Guardians of Love, Coco's Angels, and Inner Circle, who together made this event a major success."

For more information about Los Angeles Mission or this event, please contact Ellis McGinnis at [email protected]. 

Source: Los Angeles Mission