The Local Hearts Foundation held their annual school supply giveaway at MacArthur Park on Saturday, Aug. 14.
Over 100 families began lining up at 5 a.m. to receive supplies from the “Education is Power” event by the Local Hearts Foundation. Families could also pick up groceries, get hair cuts, have their faces painted, and pick up a limited supply of Amazon Fire tablets.
“This is about community here. This is about helping families here that are struggling. I was one of those families, so it’s dear to my heart to give back to this community, this area,” Tito Rodriguez, founder of the Local Hearts Foundation, said to volunteers before letting in students to pick up the supplies.
Other city leaders were also in attendance, like Sixth District Councilmember Suely Saro, who spoke to the volunteers about what the City will be doing to improve parks in Long Beach. She mentioned that State Senator Lena Gonzalez secured funding to provide $8.5 million to make improvements to MacArthur Park.
Saro also announced that her district would be a part of a pilot program to provide $500 a month for single-parent families and childcare services.
After the event started, members of the Long Beach Police Department boxing team and the Manny Pacquiao Foundation made their way over to Guv’nors Boxing Club to present boxing students with LBPD branded gym bags filled with boxing supplies.
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