EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Every little bit helps.
The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office held their annual Backpack Giveaway event on Saturday morning, July 25 at their headquarters in far East El Paso.
About 200 backpacks, filled with school supplies, were given out during the event, Sheriff Oscar Ugarte said.
Photos by Edith Montero/KTSM
“This helps us as law enforcement because we get to build a relationship with our community,” Ugarte said. “These are all members of the community, the people that we serve.
“When they get here, they get to engage with us and we build that relationship because at the end of the day, these are the families we serve on a daily basis, 24 hours a day,” Ugarte said.
Beverly Herrera said that the Sheriff’s Office backpack event is a tremendous help.
“I’m a single parent. I work and everything but of course it takes a village as they say,” Herrera said. “Any little bit helps and we don’t mind waking up early or doing the drive over here because it is a nice help. The kids love the backpacks that (the Sheriff’s Office) gives out. It’s just the basics, but even that helps a lot.”
Community partners and sponsors who made this year’s event possible were: Whataburger; Glasheen, Valles and Inderman Injury Lawyers; Marco’s Pizza; E.P. Dentistry 4 Kids; Tropical Smoothie Cafe; and Pull-A-Part Used Auto Parts.
“Without our sponsors and our community, our local businesses, this wouldn’t be possible,” Ugarte said.
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