The Lake Elsinore Dream Center provided free back-to-school supplies and other resources to local families during its annual Back to School Bash Aug. 8 at City Park.
Families lined up around the park to pick up backpacks, school supplies and shoes, with Dream Center volunteers helping distribute the items.
The event also included free haircuts, a barbecue lunch, games and bounce houses.
Aubrey Masters, Dream Center communications director, said the organization held its first Back to School Bash in 2015 after seeing a need among local students.
“There were so many kids in this community who were going back to school who didn’t have the resources that they needed,” Masters said.
What began with about 200 attendees has grown to more than 1,000, with community members, businesses and other organizations now helping provide resources for the event, Masters said.
“There’s a church that does backpacks, a church that does shoes and we have a dental clinic and all these barbers that come out,” Masters said. “So people have really taken this on and owned it and have put all of themselves into it. It’s made it possible for us to expand this event and offer it to more people.”
Among the organizations participating this year was Elsinore First, a Lake Elsinore church that brought its clothing ministry to the Back to School Bash for the first time.
The church launched its clothing ministry last year and provides gently used and new clothing to community members. Nellie Johnson, who helps with the church’s clothing and food ministries, said the church has been looking for more opportunities to bring those resources directly into the community.
“We brought everything here as much as we could here today,” she said. “It’s been great. It’s been really well received. We want to make a difference for the community. And we don’t want to just be inside our walls. We want to be out there making a difference.”
Johnson said the church was excited to partner with the Dream Center because of the work it does in the community.
“Dream Center is an amazing organization,” Johnson said. “They do that really well, and so we’re really excited to be able to partner with them on this.”
Lake Elsinore resident Regina attended the event with her family of six after seeing a local flyer. She said this was her fourth year attending the Back to School Bash.
“I’m most grateful to receive the backpacks for sure and the shoes,” she said. “And also to see that the event has grown. They have haircuts now and passing out free clothing.”
Regina said the event is important for local families.
“I think it’s a great blessing for the community,” she said. “I think it takes more than just your family to raise your children and being part of a community is very important for families.”
Masters said the event can help residents feel more connected to their community.
“I think that it helps to build confidence and excitement in the people of this city and feel like there is a real sense of community, that we’re not distant, that we’re not apart from each other,” she said.
