More than 1,100 students receive free backpacks and more during Back-to-School event at the Belle Glade campus

Palm Beach State College’s Belle Glade campus served for the fourth time on Saturday, Aug. 3 as a site for one of the Back to School PBC! events spearheaded by the Office of Community Revitalization to help K-12 students get ready for the new school year.

More than 1,100 students received backpacks, school supplies and were exposed to several community resources to help them succeed this academic year.

Twenty-nine vendors were in attendance including such organizations as the Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County, the Lake Okeechobee Rural Heath Network, Early Learning Coalition of Palm Beach County, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue, Florida Rural Legal Services, Inc., and The Glades Initiative. A Palm Beach County Library Bookmobile was also present.

Executive Dean of the Belle Glade campus Dr. LaTanya McNeal was excited to see the Back-to-School event expand even more this year with over $40,000 in donations including 7,000 undergarments, iPads and laptops given to youth along with the backpacks, non-perishable food items, immunizations and physicals.

Elected officials in attendance included Palm Beach County School Board member from District 6 Marcia Andrews. Students and members of the public received physicals and vaccinations from healthcare providers Foundcare and Empower Healthcare for free.

There were also food trucks and a raffle with great prizes such as bicycles and skateboards. There were 120 volunteers during the event, including 15 PBSC employees from the Belle Glade campus.

The Back to School PBC! is a county-wide initiative of government working in partnership with Palm Beach County nonprofits and community service organizations to provide students in need with the school supplies and resources they need to start the school year with confidence and succeed academically. For more information, visit www.backtoschoolpbc.org.

To view photos of the event, click here.