The Rotary Club of Signal Hill gave school supplies to around 400 students at Alvarado Elementary School on Friday, Sept. 3.
With a hefty discount from Staples and additional funding from Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn’s office, the Rotary Club purchased and provided second to fifth grade students with bags and a kit that included paper, colored pencils, notebooks, pencils, glue, and other supplies.
Longtime rotary club members Bob and Nancy Long initially started the school supply program using money from their own pockets, but it has expanded over the years, gaining more funds and including more schools.
“I guess it’s easy to assume that every student and every family are prepared with school supplies. But unfortunately, that’s not the case,” said Albert Chang, Rotary Club of Signal Hill president.
The giveaway has become a yearly event, with the Rotary Club rotating through different schools every year. Many of the students get excited about receiving the supplies when they are available.
“Our teachers are even excited because now they have multiple notebooks that they can use,” said Cheryl Huber, Alvarado Elementary principal. “You know, the kids, you just see their faces light up, [the students say] ‘This is mine; I can keep it!’ So they’re very excited about it.”
Much of the funding came from Hahn’s office. As a former school teacher, she uses discretionary funds to help community groups buy back-to-school supplies.
“I think it’s really important that the kids are back in school; they’re all masked up, which is great to see, but that social component had been missing for so many of these kids,” said Herlinda Chico, field deputy for Janice Hahn’s office. “[Today’s event] means that we’re preparing our kids for a wonderful year of education.”
There’s so much good in our community.