Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By NATHAN HOWELL | Special to the Reporter 

PELHAM – Nonprofit organization 77 Kids Foundation helped relieve some of the financial burden on parents and students on Aug. 1 when it provided all of the school supplies for 10 children returning to school.

The supply drive was held at Riverchase KIA in Pelham, who sponsored the event, and was designed to help alleviate some of the financial stress typical for students returning to school—something that is even more exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Byron De’Vinner who started the foundation.

“I recommended to the board that we reach out and find some kids that could benefit from getting their school supplies,” De’Vinner said. “With everything going on with COVID-19 and the economy, a lot of parents are struggling with not being able to go to work.”

The foundation took submissions from people in the area and asked each child to write a short statement on how they would benefit from receiving the supplies. They then picked 10 kids based on need and the submission and bought all of the supplies on their lists.

“We bought all of their school supplies and also bought backpacks for them and put all the supplies in the backpacks. That way the parents could just pick up the backpacks and didn’t have to touch anything, and we were able to bless several kids with school supplies,” De’Vinner said.

Many of the parents were very emotional and extremely grateful to have this financial burden alleviated so they could save money during a difficult financial time amid COVID-19.

De’Vinner also said that the he was extremely grateful to be joined by Thompson High School sophomore Tony Mitchell, who was recently named to the MaxPreps Preseason All-American Sophomore team.

“Tony came to me and told me he wanted to come out and help to give back to his community,” De’Vinner said.

Sponsors for the event included Riverchase Kia and The Center of Imaging Excellence.

77 Kids Foundation seeks to help kids ages 5 through eight grade with extracurricular activities throughout the Southeastern United States. More information can be found by visiting 77kidsfoundation.org.