By Julia Train
It seems like the last day of school was just yesterday. However, summer has come and gone. Now the first day of school is right around the corner.
For many kids, school starting means shopping for new backpacks, shoes, clothes, school supplies and more. However, for others, it’s not that simple.
For some families, getting everything new may not be in the cards. School supplies can be too expensive for them.
Former Eagles Quarterback, Ron Jaworski and his foundation, Jaws Youth Playbook (JYP) teamed up with Hard Rock Hotel & Casino of Atlantic City, to host a “Back to School Pep Rally” for the children of Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Atlantic and Cape May Counties.
The “pep rally,” which was held at Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Linwood on Aug. 3, was meant to help children whose families can’t afford new supplies. The Back-to-School event made sure kids, no matter their family’s income, were prepared for the start of the school year.
“We want kids to be active and have the right supplies for the start of the school year. You don’t realize how much it can be a burden on families to start the school year,” said Trish Cuadrado, executive director at JYP.
JYP is a 501(c)(3) that has been working for over 38 years to improve the overall health and wellness of at-risk youth in the Greater Philadelphia Region. The charity has raised over $7 million over almost four decades.
The nonprofit gives out supplies to children several times a year. JYP donates often during holidays when families may be financially strained.
During Thanksgiving, they put meals together for these families. During Christmas, JYP donated bicycles. The organization also hosts drives for prom dresses and books.
The nonprofit has also built playgrounds and ballfields. They donated sports equipment. JYP also supported summer meal programs and healthy nutrition in underserved communities.
JYP’s partner for the event, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, purchased the school supplies for the pep rally.
The casino’s Community Relations committee worked with JYP to figure out what to purchase. The committee then helped at the event, handing out the supplies.
They purchased 150 backpacks and filled them with supplies such as pencils, markers and notebooks. Children also received clogs or sneakers from Bobs and Skechers. Recipients were given socks, snacks and drinks as well.
“It gives the students an opportunity to succeed before the school year starts,” said Sharon Pearce, director of public relations and community affairs at Hard Rock.
Upon entering the auditorium, there were tables set to the left where families could sit after receiving their materials. Some mingled with each other, while others checked out their new supplies.
In front of the stage in the back, tables were set up in a “U” shape, overflowing with school supplies.
Children were able to pick their backpacks, which had a variety of options ranging from plain or sparkly to ones with movie characters, patterns or unicorns. There were options for both boys and girls.
“Look! It’s Elsa and Ana,” one girl exclaimed as she ran up to the backpack table and spotted one with the two Frozen characters.
Now that these children have their needed materials, they can face the upcoming school year confidently.
Julia is a student at Rider University, majoring in multiplatform journalism with a minor in social media strategies. At school, she writes and copy edits for The Rider News and is the News Director for the radio station, producing news updates. She’ll be graduating in the spring. Connect with her on Instagram @juliatrain
