Hand in Hand to celebrate 10th Anniversary with its annual Back-2-School Event
By Terry Lott | Hand in Hand Press Release
Everett, WA – 8/27/20 — On Saturday August 29th, Hand in Hand will celebrate their 10th anniversary with their annual Back 2 School Event. This drive-thru event will provide over 200 students with much needed supplies for school. Students will receive new backpacks full of school supplies and new shoes.
Hand in Hand’s holistic and wrap around approach never forgets about the whole family. Each of them will receive groceries to take home, a BBQ lunch, and a resource bag full of contact information from other local agencies and business partners to better help the community navigate when they are in need.
Date and Time: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, August 29
Location: Bible Baptist Church, 808 West Casino Road, Everett, WA 98204
When asked why do kids even need school supplies for distance learning, Porsche Thompson, the outreach program manager shared the facts that not all school work can be done on a computer, a student needs to have the ability to store their laptop and work that has been completed. All students will also eventually be headed back to school in person.
Porsche asked a very honest question. “Have you ever tried to do algebra or any type of math on a computer without paper and a pencil and show your work? How can a student work on penmanship or a rough draft of an essay without the basic school supplies?” Her and the rest of Hand in Hand are answering those questions one backpack at a time.
Covid Impact
While many other agencies shut their doors in March, Hand in Hand did not for even one day. Their outreach department hit the pandemic straight in its face by continually finding innovative ways to keep serving Snohomish County. Their out of the box thinking adapted instantly to the pandemic challenges. Beginning with school supplies for families at the start of the pandemic in March immediately after schools were closed, quickly adapting to the new insecurities of hunger that started in April helping 805 families eat for another week and another 621 with diapers and wipes. In May, the outreach team began to see a greater need in rent and PUD assistance and immediately jumped into action. Since then, they have prevented 28 families avoid homelessness.
Hand in Hand also operates Safe Place, a shelter that provides 72-hour emergency care for children initially entering the foster care system. Safe Place also stayed open while most others closed. Since March, they have welcomed 43 children that were suffering from cases of DUI, neglect, mental health, abandonment, chemical dependency, and physical abuse.
Author: Mario Lotmore
