27th Annual Back-to-School Program
Over 2,000 students equipped for a successful school year
Costa Mesa, CA (August 13 & 20, 2022) – Share Our Selves distributed backpacks full of essential school supplies to over 2,000 students! Donor led drives contributed to 500 of the total backpacks and additional school supplies. The Back-to-School Program launched in 1995 with the goal of providing essential tools for a successful school year to our local families.
National Health Center Week
Closing out National Health Center Week on Saturday, August 13, in recognition of Children’s Health Day Share Our Selves hosted close to 700 families at our Costa Mesa Community Health Center for the annual backpack distribution. In collaboration with The Coalition of Orange County Community Health Centers, CalOptima, Health Net and OC Social Services Agency, families were able to attend an informational health fair to learn about their healthcare rights, coverage, and enrollment.
Share Our Selves CEO Christy Ward along with CA State Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris, The Coalition President & CEO Isabel Becerra and CalOptima CEO Michael Hunn wished students a successful school year as they handed out backpacks filled with school supplies to the families and their students.
Back-to-School Resource Fair
In partnership with the Melinda Hoag Smith Center for Healthy Living and IKEA, Newport-Mesa Unified School District hosted a Back-to-School resource fair on Saturday, August 20. Share Our Selves provided 1,369 backpacks to families gearing up for the start of the school year. The resource fair featured dental and vision screenings, diapers, bike helmets, booster seats and meals to all attendees from various agencies across the county.
Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley joined Share Our Selves staff and volunteers in greeting students and sending them off with school supplies and new backpacks.
Our Back-to-School Program aims to eliminate one less roadblock for families experiencing financial hardship and to support educational access with a backpack and school supplies.
About Share Our Selves
Share Our Selves (SOS) has provided care and assistance to our most vulnerable populations in Orange County since 1970. We emphasize whole person primary care through our comprehensive services; medical, dental, clinical pharmaceuticals, behavioral health, and social services. We offer excellent case management, patient navigation, and solutions for social stressors for families and individuals of low–income and/or experiencing homelessness in Orange County. For more information about Share Our Selves please visit shareourselves.org.
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