A school supply giveaway held last weekend was a rousing success, as the Manhattan Beach-based Kinecta Federal Credit Union gave away hundreds of backpacks filled with school essentials to children in need.
Kinecta had assembled a total of 850 backpacks and school
supplies with the help of employees and supporters including the
Skechers Foundation, Adidas, and LA Galaxy Forward
Cameron Dunbar.
All told, approximately
350 local families attended the drive-thru distribution at Dignity Health Sports Park on August 7. They received backpacks; sweatshirts donated from Smiles by Angels, a sack lunch,
and frozen treats from Kinecta’s Ice Cream Truck.
The remaining
backpacks were donated to other school and community partners.
In
attendance were Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Representative of
California’s 43rd District, Congresswoman Nanette
Diaz Barragán, Representative of California’s 44th District, prominent
Watts activist and Parents of Watts founder, “Sweet Alice” Harris, and
Carson City Councilman Jawane Hilton, along with a host of Kinecta
volunteers.
“I’m
here every year with Kinecta because Kinecta is providing a wonderful
service for all of our communities here,”
Waters said in a statement. “This backpack giveaway is just what we need for the
children to go back to school with. The parents appreciate it and I
appreciate it so much.”
Kinecta’s
2021 “Back-to-School Backpack Challenge” supports children from
community partners including Al Wooten
Jr. Youth Center, Environmental Charter, Community’s Child, Parents of
Watts, Richstone Family Center, GRYD Foundation, Thomas House Family
Shelter, Los Angeles Police Department Southeast Division, St. Albert
the Great School, Watts/Century Latino Organization,
among others.
“We are so proud that this is our 12th
year hosting this backpack giveaway for families in need,” said Latrice
McGlothin, executive director of the Kinecta Community Foundation. “Local families spend
over $200 per student each academic year on supplies, and our hope is
that this will relieve some of the burden.”
Kinecta Federal Credit Union
The Manhattan Beach-based Kinecta
Federal Credit Union is the country’s 35th largest credit union, with
assets of $6.4 billion and
285,000 member-owners. Its 800+ employees serve members from 31
branches, a variety of specialty offices, and call
centers on both coasts. Banking the Southern California area more than
80 years, with a recent expansion to Northern California,
New York, and New Jersey, Kinecta offers its members financial products through the credit union and its subsidiaries,
Kinecta Wealth Management and Kinecta Insurance Services.
