Hundreds receive free uniforms, school supplies, food
By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
Atmore’s 8th annual Back to School Boost (B2SB), held last Saturday (July 20) at Escambia County Middle School, wasn’t much different from the previous seven events. And that’s a good thing.
As they had in each of the past years, a line of cars, trucks, SUVs and other vehicles began gathering at the middle school campus more than an hour prior to its scheduled 9 a.m. start. By the time the unofficial end-of-summer celebration began, that line had stretched into Alabama 21’s northern and southern lanes.
Atmore police cruisers, their blue lights flashing, were stationed just south of the school and at Alabama 21’s intersection with Sunset Drive to help maintain safety as the traffic continued to back up.
The annual affair, a ministry of Grace Fellowship Church and several community partners, includes information on various programs available to local residents, as well as free school uniforms, free school supplies and free food for area students from pre-K through grade 12.
As in past years, there were again plenty of takers.
“We planned for 500 students, and that’s our goal,” Grace Fellowship’s Ruth Robinson said as the giveaway moved into its second hour. “We usually have over 200 — probably 220 — families that are served each year.”
This year’s B2SB also followed the pattern of its predecessors, as numerous informational booths were set up along the paved path that circles the school building, as well as stations where uniform sizes were gathered, school supplies or informational leaflets were handed out, and an added bonus —prepackaged meals — were again a part of the package.
“We have multiple community resources here,” Robinson said, trying to remember each of Grace Fellowship’s partners. “We’ve got Empowerment Tabernacle, First Methodist, a lot of civic organizations, all stepping in to meet the needs of the community.
“We’ve got Rotary, Lions, our banks, especially United Bank and First National [Bank & Trust], and the Children’s Policy Council. The drug ad council is giving information about drug abuse, and Atmore Area Christian Care Ministries is giving information out about food and stuff that’s available in the community.
“Plus, through the grants from Feeding the Gulf Coast, we’ve also got a week’s worth of shelf-stable food for each child.”
Another familiar site was the RPM Outreach trailer, which is always the last stop on the route around the school. Virtually everyone who has attended one of the previous seven Back to School Boosts, especially those in the hottest weather, is familiar with the ministry for teens and children.
“We’ve got RPM Ministries handing out the snow cones,” Robinson said. “They are here every year, with a great smile on their face.”
Robinson has been one of the event’s primary organizers since it was known as Unity in the Community. She was quick to point out that the church would be hard pressed to attempt such an undertaking on its own.
“We’re just glad to help where we can,” the event organizer said. “When everybody puts their resources together, it can really make a big impact. It really is a great event. The kids are excited to get their supplies, and the parents are excited about saving money because inflation makes everything difficult for everybody.”