CLEWISTON -- Hundreds of Clewiston students received free backpacks and school supplies Aug. 4 during the Florida Community Health Center’s annual “Back to School Event."
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CLEWISTON -- Hundreds of Clewiston students received free backpacks and school supplies Aug. 4 during the Florida Community Health Center’s annual “Back to School Event” held at the John Boy Auditorium.
“The event was awesome,” said FCHC Center Administrator Nardina Johnson.
“We actually ordered 600 backpacks to get a huge discount. Our plans were to save 300 for next year. We ended up distributing 465 backpacks at the event and another 75 or so at the office.”
Glades Electric Cooperative also contributed with a donation on July 30, so another give-away event was held in Montura Saturday, Aug. 7.
“This year it appears to be a shortage in school supplies locally, so we had to quickly go out of town to get supplies,” Johnson said.
FCHC of Clewiston office has offered the event for over 20 years, depending on many area businesses and organizations to help fill those backpacks with school supplies, hand sanitizers and other necessities.
The H. E. Hill Foundation, Inc., has been a major contributor, Johnson said, providing generous donations which covers most of the backpacks and supplies. Last year USSC supplied backpacks to elementary schools.
USSC, United Way, Healthier Hendry Glades Task Force, Pure Country WAFC, Ross Dynasty, HC Migrant Education, Healthy Families and Healthy Start, Girl Scouts of Gulf Coast in Florida, WIC, CARD, Health Planning Council of Southwest Florida and many others have supported the program over the years, Johnson said.
