The Caring Place at Miami Rescue Mission and Broward Outreach Centers hosted their annual Back-toSchool Bash on Saturday, blessing the community with a large-scale school supply giveaway that served more than 2,000 at-risk children and 600 families.

The organizers underscored their aim to provide not just supplies, clean clothes, proper shoes, and other basic supplies that many lowincome families cannot afford yet can affect a child’s confidence and ability to succeed in school, but also a boost of hope and dignity.

Recognizing that part of the reason that some children struggle with school can be due to inadequate clothing or shoes, dirty backpacks and inadequate school supplies, volunteers in June began collecting materials for the Back to School Bash, planning to help families, students and teachers.

Families were warmly welcomed by volunteers, walked through tables filled with essential back-to-school items, and were offered cold water while waiting in the summer heat.

Thanks to the generosity of community partners and supporters, children received brand-new backpacks filled with school supplies, new sneakers, T-shirts, and hygiene items.

The initiative was supported by Turner Construction, The Lewis Family, MER LLC, Best Roofing and many generous individuals. The families were prayed for by friends from Dovelight Ministry.

“We needed help,” one event attendee, Michelle, said. “Times are rough and my children needed supplies. Now my kids loves (sic) their new shoes and backpack because they are their favorite characters, one is Baby Shark and the other Bluey. They are so excited to be wearing them the first day of school. We are very grateful to The Caring Place.”

For more than 100 years the 501(c)(3) organization has served needy men, women, and children in Miami and Broward counties with food, shelter, clothing, long-term rehabilitation programs, education, job training, health services, youth programs, and housing, with Christian compassion and encouragement.

The Caring Place also has several Wish Lists set up for year-round needs and wants for the community in their Amazon List. For those interested in continuing to support, the list is accessible at caringplace.org and via linktr.ee/thecaringplace1922.