Columbus JA partners with MS Regional Housing Authority to help families with Back-to-school needs
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Back-to-school time can be stressful and expensive.
With clothes and supplies, it adds up, especially if you’re outfitting more than one student.
That’s why the Junior Auxiliary of Columbus is partnering with the Mississippi Regional Housing Authority to help families with some of those needs.
Today, at the Housing Authority office, volunteers distributed full school uniforms along with backpacks full of supplies and even hygiene bags.
Last year, they helped more than 90 students get ready to go back to class. JA members were expecting more than 100 today.
The goal was to have all those who came by fully outfitted from head to toe, and for the Junior Auxiliary, it doesn’t end with Back to School.
“They get belts. They get shoes. They get socks for a whole week. So, yes, they are provided with everything they need to go to school. The only thing the parents have to do is just put it on and send ’em. They get the backpack with school supplies as well,” said MS Regional Housing Apt. Manager Stephanie Brewer.
“But, throughout the year, if a child’s not clothed, or if there’s an immediate need, we work with the school counselors. So, the school counselors are able to refer a child throughout the school year. We’re able to get their sizes, then actually deliver that clothing to the school without the parent having to come in. We have other options where we have Saturday clothiers, where we have parents who bring their children into the hut we have in Downtown Columbus on Saturday, and we go through, and we fit them there,” said Kellum Hawk of Junior Auxiliary of Columbus.
Junior Auxiliary also has its Art Reach program that supplies all of the art supplies for Columbus Public School students. Columbus and Lowndes County students head back to school next week.
