Local organizations Pueblita, Urban Reset, and LBC Resources met at Martin Luther King Jr. Park in Long Beach to give away tablets and school supplies to families on Saturday, May 15.
Around 50 people came in the first hour to pick up supplies. Overall, the groups gave away 22 of the donated tablets. Driven by the rise of online learning, the organizations sought tablets to help local students in a transition that has been challenging for many, especially given the digital divide in Long Beach.
“I feel good, we wrapped up in about an hour and have few items left over,” said Sandy Wall, founder of Pueblita Tortillas. “We gave away a lot. I would say that we definitely gave at least 60 kids what they will need to be ready for school.”
The backpacks, books, pencils, and other supplies were donated by Long Beach Transit, Level Up Barber Studio, and the Long Beach Public Library as well as community members. Additionally, Urban Remedy provided healthy food for families to take home.
“It being a pandemic, we wanted the kids to be encouraged, to be excited for school,” said Bruce McCall, founder of Urban Reset. “We had 22 tablets and they went super quick. The majority of people that signed up for them came early to pick them up.”
The groups plan to hold more events over the summer to help as children and families transition back to the normal pace of life as the country grapples with ‘the new normal’ in a post-pandemic world.
The group of organizations plans to host more events in the future, including one to uplift the Asian Pacific Islander community in late June that is already in the works.
For more information about the organizations and about upcoming events follow @pueblitatortillas, @theurbanreset, and @lbcresources on Instagram.