Over 100 bags full of school supplies, 40 desks and headphones were provided to Richmond families in need on Sunday, Sept 6.
They were part of the fourth annual back-to-school program by Moving Forward, a local organization that provides youth with resources that promote health, wellness and success.
“Being able to provide young people with the tools necessary to be successful has been a big part of Moving Forward’s mission,” Project Manager Anselmo Ramirez said. “This year we’re happy to be able to provide young people with a desk they can call their own and dedicate to learning.”
Headphones are key to enhancing the distance learning experience for local kids, added John Guzman, Head of Operations at Moving Forward.
“We hope that the headphones we’ve provided will give students a more comfortable and quiet space to learn safe from distraction,” Guzman said.
Moving Forward launched in 2016, when former partner Victor Garcia came up with the idea to go to a local school and provide supplies for a student in need. Through crowd-sourcing, he expanded his effort to six backpacks. Ramirez, an active community member, was inspired by Garcia’s efforts and partnered with him to launch Moving Forward. The next year, the organization held its first fundraiser 5K, going from six to 200 backpacks.
Since then, Arleide Santos and Diana Salazar have joined to scale up the effort even further to include scholarship grants. To date, Moving Forward has provided over $15,000 in scholarships and plans to incorporate life skill workshops, community cleanups and a variety of health-focused outdoor activities as part of their programming.
For more information, including how to donate and volunteer, visit here.
