Mineral Springs Middle School and Spokes of Hope teamed up on Wednesday afternoon to welcome local families to the 2024-25 school year with a generous array of household supplies.
Visitors at the Mineral Springs gym got to pick out school supplies, cleaning products, toiletries, food, and whatever else they needed from a packed marketplace worth of goods donated by Spokes of Hope. There were also enough freshly prepared hot dogs available to feed up to 1,000 people lunch, as well as face painting and balloon animals provided by City Lights Ministry. Volunteers took joy in not only offering critical assistance to families in need, but also in creating a fun and welcoming atmosphere that left families excited for the new school year starting next week.
“We just love helping communities,” said Spokes of Hope Director Shane Zoccole. “This creates new opportunities for these families, and it really brings people together.”
The event was meant specifically for Mineral Springs students and their families, although nobody from outside the school was turned away. Both Mineral Springs Middle and Mineral Springs Elementary School are Title 1 schools, and their educators are keenly aware of how economic needs impact their students’ abilities to do their best in the classroom. The supplies provided at Wednesday’s event will put hundreds of dollars back in the pockets of the families who attended, making it easier for them to cover other expenses and guarantee more students a stable home situation ahead of the new school year. Educators expect that academic success will come more naturally to this year’s students as a result.
“What we’re trying to do is level the playing field,” said Innovative Grant Partnership School Coach Latisa Warner. “If we can take care of student’s household first, then we can take care of their mind better.”
It was a day full of smiles at Mineral Springs as students got to spend some time with their friends at school again for the first time since summer began and parents got some much-appreciated financial relief. Organizers were exceptionally happy with the turnout and response to their first time putting on this event, and as long as community support holds up in the future, they expect that it won’t be the last time.
“Everybody is always going to have a need,” said Parent and Family Engagement Coordinator Nikhiya R. Young. “We hope we’ll be able to keep this going year after year.”