Students receive school supplies at The Heights Foundation:The Heights Center’s annual Back-to-School Outreach. -COURTESY PHOTO

More than 500 students from the Harlem Heights neighborhood are heading back to school with confidence thanks to The Heights Foundation/The Heights Center’s annual Back-to-School Outreach. Held on Saturday, July 25, the event provided students with new backpacks filled with the school supplies they need to begin the 2026-2027 school year prepared and ready to learn.

Families gathered at The Heights Center, where volunteers, donors, and community partners came together to ensure every child received a backpack along with grade-appropriate school supplies, including binders, crayons, calculators, headphones, notebooks, folders, pencils, and other classroom essentials.

“Education opens doors to opportunity, and every child deserves to begin the school year with the tools they need to succeed,” said Kathryn Kelly, founder, president, and CEO of The Heights Foundation/The Heights Center. “This incredible community continues to step forward year after year to invest in our children and their futures. We are deeply grateful to every donor, volunteer, and partner who made this outreach possible.”

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Thanks to generous contributions from individuals, churches, civic organizations, neighborhood groups, and local businesses, the annual outreach continues to serve hundreds of local children each year.  Individuals and community partners organized school supply drives, sponsored backpacks and classroom materials, and volunteered their time to create a welcoming and joyful experience for families.

“Watching our community come together on behalf of these students is inspiring,” said Melissa Barlow, director of arts and community programs at The Heights Center. “Every backpack, every notebook, and every volunteer represents someone who believes in the potential of our children. Together, we’re giving students the confidence to start the school year strong.”

The Heights Foundation/The Heights Center extends its sincere appreciation to the numerous organizations whose generosity supported this year’s Back-to-School Outreach, including Crown Colony Community, Cypress Cove at HealthPark, Edison National Bank/Bank of the Islands, Estero Women’s Encore Club, RG Architects, Rotary Club of Southwest Florida, Scotlynn, Shoreline Lumber, StandardAero, Zion Lutheran Church and many others. Their kindness and commitment to the children and families of Harlem Heights truly make a difference.

The Heights Foundation’s mission is to build strong, self-sufficient families in the Harlem Heights community through education, opportunity, and the arts. Through early learning, afterschool and summer programs, adult education, career training, family support services, and community enrichment, The Heights Foundation/The Heights Center is helping create brighter futures in Southwest Florida. The annual Back-to-School Outreach is one of many programs that support students and families throughout the year.

To learn more about The Heights Foundation/The Heights Center, visit www.heightsfoundation.org or call (239) 482-7706.

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About the Heights Foundation and the Heights Center

Harlem Heights is a low-income community in South Fort Myers, Florida.   The Heights Foundation’s mission is to build strong, self-sufficient families in the Harlem Heights neighborhood. The Heights Center, supported by The Heights Foundation, promotes education and wellness, nurtures family and community development, and provides the benefits of enrichment and the arts.

Heights Early Learning serves more than 85 babies from 4 years old.   The Heights Center serves 150 children in AfterSchool and over 150 kids in Summer Camp. The Harlem Heights Community Charter School serves 200 children from kindergarten through fifth grade.

Harlem Heights was originally settled as a rural agricultural community. Approximately 780 children live in a mixture of single-family homes and multi-family apartments. Demographically, the population is approximately 79% Hispanic, 15% African-American, and 6% Caucasian. The poverty rate for children in Harlem Heights is more than twice the county average, with family income 50% below the county average. As a result, families cannot easily access family support services in downtown Fort Myers and benefit greatly from programs within the neighborhood.