ROGERS, Arkansas, JULY 31, 2023 – Samaritan Community Center (SCC) and Tyson Foods, Inc. have joined forces to provide backpacks filled with essential school supplies to 4,000 students from low-income families in Northwest Arkansas. This collaboration is part of the 21st Annual Fresh Start: BackPacks for Kids event on Saturday, August 5, 2023, which aims to equip students with the tools they need to succeed at school.
This initiative reflects the commitment of both organizations to support the local community and ensure that every student has access to the resources they need to thrive academically. By working together, SCC and Tyson Foods are helping to level the playing field for students from disadvantaged backgrounds and providing them with a brighter future.
SCC has been distributing tickets to students since the beginning of June. Students will present their ticket on backpack distribution day in order to receive a backpack. This is to ensure that all students have an equal opportunity to receive a backpack.
“This is magical madness! It takes a lot of planning and organizing to make this event happen for 4,000 students. It’s a year-round process, but it’s worth every minute to make sure these children are prepared and ready to learn on the first day of school. We are so grateful to Tyson Foods for sponsoring our event to help lighten the financial burden for families that may not be able to afford a new backpack and school supplies,” said Shannon Green, Business Development Manager at Samaritan Community Center.
“It’s one of our core values to give back to the communities where we live and work, not only in Northwest Arkansas, but in more than 100 communities across the country” said Tim Grailer, Senior Director of Community Impact at Tyson Foods. “We’re proud to continue our partnership with the Samaritan Community Center to help families and children have a positive start to the new school year.”