FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 25, 2017

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Lauren Williams
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HOC Youth “Jump” into School Year with New Supplies

 

On Friday, August 25, 2017, the Housing Opportunities Commission of Montgomery County (HOC) and its nonprofit entity, Housing Opportunities Community Partners (HOCP) hosted their Annual Back to School Fest for HOC youth. This event culminated a month-long school supply drive. Children from across the county gathered at Rockin’ Jump Trampoline Park in Gaithersburg, MD for one last day of play before the school year begins. Each participant received a brand new backpack loaded with much needed school supplies.

 

HOCP hosted the HOC Cares School Supply Drive from July 19 through August 23, 2017 to benefit youth and families served by HOC. Donation boxes were placed at HOC Service Centers and offices throughout the county. Last year, HOCP delivered backpacks and supplies to 600 HOC youth. This year, HOCP provided over 850 backpacks filled with calculators, notebooks, binders, crayons, and other essentials to prepare kids for the coming school year. Generous donations of cash and gift cards enabled staff to purchase supplemental supplies to fill each backpack.

Seven hundred HOC youth registered to receive school supplies at the Back to School Fest, where they ate food, played games, and enjoyed one hour of complimentary “jump time” provided by Rockin’Jump Trampoline Park.

Several organizations were instrumental in helping HOCP provide a record number of supplies this year. Top contributors include Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.’s Pearls of Hope Community Foundation, A Wider Circle, Bozzuto Construction Company, Daniel Benjamin Office Supply, Executive Building Maintenance, Inc., Montgomery County Public Schools, Raw Ink Studio, Rockin’ Jump Trampoline Park, YMCA, and various private donors. Alpha Kappa Alpha, Inc. supplied an outstanding 600 backpacks for this year’s drive and Rockin’ Jump donated the cost of the facility so each student could enjoy an hour of “jump time” as part of the event.

“HOC strives to help Montgomery County families reach their fullest potential,” said Executive Director Stacy L. Spann. “With our youth, that means making sure they are ready to start the school year off right—whether that’s programming to help stem ‘Summer Slide’ or a backpack filled with school supplies. We’re proud to partner with many great organizations to equip these young folks for another year of success.”