The City of Burbank’s Connect with your Community initiative hosted the Education Celebration Event in the Peyton-Grismer Focus Neighborhood on Saturday, August 6th. The annual event aims to connect Focus Neighborhood residents to city departments, local non profits, and local service groups, in addition to providing students with school supplies they need. “Our goal is connect our residents to every resource our City has to offer that will improve their lives” says Community Resources Coordinator Viviana Ardila. “Plus, we also want our students to have the school supplies they need to go back to school and learn! Due to our economy, some families don’t have the means to buy the school supplies their children need. Connect with your Community and its partners provide that resource with the hope that students will succeed in school”.
Over 400 K-12th grade Burbank students registered to receive free backpacks and school supplies at the event. The outreach was focused to residents of Burbank Housing Corporation and the five focus neighborhoods in Burbank. In addition, several non profits and the Burbank Unified School District Homeless Liaison identified students that would benefit from the event.
Families received dental treatments from Kids Community Dental Clinic, haircuts by students of Marinello Schools of Beauty, and child ID kits from Kids Are 1st. Several City Departments shared their programs along with the Burbank Adult School and Burbank City Federal Credit Union. The Sound (100.3) provided the music and delicious BBQ hot dogs and hamburgers were served for lunch. The event connects families to their friends, neighbors, and the city of Burbank.
(Above) Burbank’s young population received safety items from the Burbank Police COPS Bureau, hotdogs, and participated in games (Below). Connect with your Community a section of Burbank’s Community Development Department along with Burbank Housing Corporation had 400 kids pre-registered and 100 kids on a waiting list when the day began. (Photos By Ross A. Benson)
