One of the best parts of serving Fort Bend County is seeing firsthand what happens when businesses, nonprofit organizations, health providers, volunteers, and community leaders come together around a common purpose. I had that opportunity Saturday, August 22, when I attended the Ready, Set, Thrive! Back to School Health & Community Resource Fair at Carey’s Frozen Delights in Missouri City.
Organized with the involvement of the Missouri City Chamber Education Foundation and community partners, the event brought valuable resources directly to local families as students prepare to begin another school year.
Families were able to connect with organizations offering school and teacher supplies, food support, clothing and hygiene items, children’s giveaways, health information, family support services, and other community resources. Rather than simply handing out supplies, the event helped connect families with organizations and people they can turn to throughout the year.
Also taking place at Carey’s Frozen Delights was a Back to School Supply Giveaway and Mentor Recruitment effort presented by We Love The Kids, Inc. and Texas Cops & Communities, Inc. That combination is especially important. Providing a student with notebooks, pencils, and other supplies helps meet an immediate need, while connecting young people with positive mentors can have an impact that extends far beyond the first day of school.
As I walked among the booths and visited with participants, I was encouraged by the variety of
organizations represented. Healthcare providers, small businesses, nonprofit organizations, community advocates, and volunteers were all contributing their time and resources to help families succeed.
Events like this demonstrate something we see repeatedly throughout Fort Bend County: some of our strongest community solutions begin at the local level.
A backpack filled with school supplies may seem like a small thing, but to a child walking into a classroom prepared and confident, it can mean a great deal. Access to health resources can help remove another obstacle. Food assistance can provide stability for a family. And a caring mentor can give a young person encouragement, direction, and someone who believes in his or her future.
I also appreciate businesses such as Carey’s Frozen Delights that make their locations available as gathering places for community service. Local businesses are often more than places where commerce takes place; they are neighbors, partners, employers, and important parts of the communities they serve.
My thanks go to the Missouri City Chamber Education Foundation, We Love The Kids, Inc., Texas Cops & Communities, Inc., The Bridge Pantry, the participating vendors and sponsors, Carey’s Frozen Delights, and especially the volunteers who gave their Saturday morning to serve others.
The beginning of a new school year is filled with excitement, but it can also bring significant expenses and challenges for families. When our community works together to reduce those burdens, we give students a better opportunity to enter the classroom focused on learning and ready to succeed.
It was a pleasure spending part of my Saturday with the families, volunteers, businesses, and organizations participating in this event.
To every student beginning a new school year across Fort Bend County: work hard, dream big, take advantage of every opportunity before you, and have a great school year.
Ready, set, thrive!
