More than 1,200 children and families received fully loaded backpacks, dental kits, fresh fruit, and more at the 26th Annual Back to School Health Fair hosted by Mothers In Action on August 10.
MIA volunteers also distributed educational, nutritional, health, and environmental resource information. In addition, the Good Provider Foodbank of Southern California, a minority-led nonprofit, donated boxes of groceries to food insecure families.
“Our village of sponsors, donors and volunteers showed up and out as always. We are so grateful for our village,” said MIA President Tracy Mitchell.
“We served underserved youth, foster youth, group homes, the Danny J. Bakewell Primary Center, students from our mentoring program, and our college mentees.”
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Parents and guardians were especially grateful for the free items, according to emails sent to Mitchell. B. Renee Norman wrote, “My nephew and his son are grateful for the backpack and food.” Jessica F Lopez Osuna stated, “The backpacks will help my kids to be better prepared for the upcoming school year, and your contribution has lifted a weight off our shoulders.”
Mitchell gave special thanks to L.A. Councilmembers Curren Price and Heather Hutt, Sherlette Newbill representing LAUSD Board Member Dr. George McKenna III, Bakewell Company Vice President Brandi Bakewell, the L.A. Sentinel and Taste of Soul staff who participated in distributing items at the event.
Other sponsors and contributors included Brotherhood Crusade (Premier Sponsor), Sandra Evers Manly, Cochran Firm of California, Metro, Councilmember Marqueece Harris Dawson, City National Bank, Healthnet, AEG Wiorldwide, RFP Insurance, LA County Federation of Labor, LA Sanitation, Blue Shield of CA Promise Health Plan, Oscar Joel Bryant Foundation, Children’s Dental Fun Zone, California Highway Patrol, CHP Explorers, Chase Bank, The Western States Carpenters, Kaiser Permanente, SEIU 721, USC, Bank of America, Mothers Nutritional, It’s Bigger Than Us, ARCHES II, Office of Exposition Park Management, L.A. Footballl Club, BMO Stadium, and Bechtel.
“Also, we appreciate Mothers In Action’s invaluable volunteers and teens, and members of Pacific Asian Volunteer Association (PAVA), Brotherhood Crusade, L.A. Conservation Corps, and Community Build who helped us assemble and distribute the backpacks, food boxes, and information bags. We could not have done this without them,” Mitchell said.
“Last, but not least, Mothers In Action and the Mitchell Family would like to thank and express our love for Danny J. Bakewell, Sr. and Jr., event chairs Fabian Wesson and Yvonne Wheeler, and PAVA world, who has been riding with us for more than 15 years now,” she noted.
“Thank you village for helping is provide quality service to our village!”
