For the 25th consecutive year, Mothers In Action will host its Back to School Health Fair to provide hundreds of young people with free resources to help them succeed when they return to campus.
According to MIA President Tracy Mitchell, the drive-through event will be held on Saturday, August 12, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., in the Exposition Park Green Lot, located at 3998 Hoover Street in South Los Angeles. To receive the fully loaded backpack and other free items, attendees are required to pre-register by calling (323) 290-0456 or emailing [email protected].
The email should contain the parent’s full name and contact number and the first name, age and gender of each child. All children must be present in the vehicle to receive a fully loaded backpack.
“We plan to distribute more than 1,000 backpacks to students from ages 5 to 18. The backpacks will contain basic school supplies including a binder, composition book, pencils, sharpeners, lunch bags and socks,” said Mitchell, who added that an additional 100 backpacks will go to the First AME Church Foster Care Program in memory of the late Brenda Marsh-Mitchell, MIA’s founder and CEO.
“Also, every family will receive a food box thanks to the Southern California Food Bank, fresh fruit courtesy of Mothers Nutritional, and information on obtaining or upgrading Internet access from Digital Divide,” she noted.
Mitchell credited the chairs, co-chairs and community partners for making contributing to the success of annual event. Serving as event chairs are Fabian Wesson, longtime community advocate and legislative consultant, and Yvonne Wheeler, president of the L.A. County Federation of Labor.
The co-chairs include Danny J. Bakewell, Sr. of Bakewell Media, Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer, L.A. School Board member Dr. George McKenna, and L.A. Councilmembers Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Heather Hutt and Curren Price.
Serving as MIA community partners are The Bakewell Company, Los Angeles Sentinel, L.A. Watts Times, Brotherhood Crusade, Bank of America, California Highway Patrol, Metro, Foodbank of Southern California, RFP Insurance, The Cochran Firm, The People’s Project, USC, Destination Crenshaw, Baldwin Bethany Community Development Corporation, Healthnet, BMO Stadium, and City National Bank, who contributed 125 fully loaded backpacks and a financial donation.
The Back to School Health Fair is just one of many outreach endeavors sponsored by Mothers In Action, which was founded in 1992 to improve the quality of life for South L.A. children and families. Each year, the nonprofit collaborates with Ward EDC to distribute Thanksgiving Day meals to more than 1,000 senior and hosts Angel Tree Christmas Project providing toys and gift cards to more than 500 young people.
In addition, scores of young ladies, from ages 10 to 14, participate in the MIA mentoring program which includes classes in hygiene, etiquette, self-esteem building, cooking, community service activities, entrepreneurship, anti-bullying, self – care, and goal setting. Also, MIA offers financial literacy training, job placement and referral information.
To learn more about Mothers In Action or register for the Back to School Health Fair, call (323) 290-0456 or email [email protected]. To donate, visit gofundme.com/miabacktoschool.
