Inglewood nonprofit hosts free back-to-school giveaway

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (KABC) -- School may be going virtual for many, but students still need real school supplies and that's why an Inglewood-based nonprofit made some adjustments to their annual back-to-school giveaway event.

"I love doing this," Elijah Gomez said. "Love, love this. I just like helping people in general because

it kind of makes me feel like a superhero."

12-year-old Elijah Gomez passed out back to school supplies, food and drinks on a Saturday afternoon to people in the Inglewood community. The event was the 4th Annual Back-to-School Giveaway hosted by Inglewood-based nonprofit Giving Youth Opportunities, or GYO.

"This event and community giving is important to help the families in need and also to support our youth in the community," Alesha Briggs CEO of GYO said.

Briggs said GYO had to cancel a few of their events this year due to the ongoing pandemic including their annual family fun day at the park, but she still wanted to make sure her community felt supported. So that is how they landed on the Back-to-School Giveaway, Curbside Edition.

"The Curbside Edition this year still allows families to come out to Circle Park to get donations for school for their children, and we can still all remain safe and safe distancing," Briggs said.

GYO provided a total of 250 backpacks for students in grades K through 12.

The backpacks came stocked with an assortment of school supplies including things like pens and pencils but also included supplies like printing paper and headphones.

Alesha said she wanted to include things students could utilize while online learning.

Tanasha Smith picked up two backpacks full of supplies and said she's very thankful to have a community that supports her family this way.

"It's letting the community know that people are out there that's willing to help," Smith said. "And we're going through a hard time right now and each other have to stick with each other to help each other out."

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