As inflation continues to strain family budgets ahead of the back-to-school season, hundreds of Central Florida students are heading into the new school year with free backpacks and classroom supplies thanks to a community giveaway led by former football player James Coleman. Families gathered early at West Oaks Elementary School for the seventh annual James Coleman Community Giveback Weekend, where approximately 300 students from kindergarten through 12th grade received backpacks filled with essential school supplies, including pencils, erasers and notebooks. For parents like Brittaney Owens, the event helped ease the financial burden of preparing multiple children for school. “We are a big family, so we do have six children, so it’s kind of hard sometimes to make sure that we have all the school needs met,” Owens said. Coleman, a former Florida State University and New Orleans Saints football player, said the annual giveaway is about more than handing out supplies. He hopes to give families financial relief while helping students start the school year with the tools they need to succeed. “Saving people the money and the hassle of having to go do stuff,” Coleman said. “Really just giving them that time back as well as being able to put that money somewhere else.” Coleman said access to basic school supplies can have a lasting impact on a child’s education. Reflecting on his own childhood, he said he understands how unmet needs can affect students both inside and outside the classroom. “I think about all of the things when I was kind of a knucklehead and got in trouble. It came from me being hungry, and it came from not having adequate supplies,” Coleman said. “If I can prevent the misguided kid from distracting them, their education is better. And also that distracted kid’s education is better because some of these kids ain’t got a pencil.” Owens said she is thankful her children are now prepared for the upcoming school year. “We can’t thank God enough for what you all are doing out here,” she said. Coleman said he plans to return to Orlando next year to continue the giveaway and help even more local families prepare for the start of the school year.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
As inflation continues to strain family budgets ahead of the back-to-school season, hundreds of Central Florida students are heading into the new school year with free backpacks and classroom supplies thanks to a community giveaway led by former football player James Coleman.
Families gathered early at West Oaks Elementary School for the seventh annual James Coleman Community Giveback Weekend, where approximately 300 students from kindergarten through 12th grade received backpacks filled with essential school supplies, including pencils, erasers and notebooks.
For parents like Brittaney Owens, the event helped ease the financial burden of preparing multiple children for school.
“We are a big family, so we do have six children, so it’s kind of hard sometimes to make sure that we have all the school needs met,” Owens said.
Coleman, a former Florida State University and New Orleans Saints football player, said the annual giveaway is about more than handing out supplies.
He hopes to give families financial relief while helping students start the school year with the tools they need to succeed.
“Saving people the money and the hassle of having to go do stuff,” Coleman said. “Really just giving them that time back as well as being able to put that money somewhere else.”
Coleman said access to basic school supplies can have a lasting impact on a child’s education.
Reflecting on his own childhood, he said he understands how unmet needs can affect students both inside and outside the classroom.
“I think about all of the things when I was kind of a knucklehead and got in trouble. It came from me being hungry, and it came from not having adequate supplies,” Coleman said. “If I can prevent the misguided kid from distracting them, their education is better. And also that distracted kid’s education is better because some of these kids ain’t got a pencil.”
Owens said she is thankful her children are now prepared for the upcoming school year.
“We can’t thank God enough for what you all are doing out here,” she said.
Coleman said he plans to return to Orlando next year to continue the giveaway and help even more local families prepare for the start of the school year.