As students prepare to return to school, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and several partner organizations including Telemundo Charlotte and WSOC-TV, are making sure students have the necessary school supplies they need to be prepared for the upcoming school year.
“CMPD’s job is also about community, that’s why we and Telemundo and other organizations came together on this. We want people to know that we are here to help in everything we can, not just crime,” said José Campos, officer at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Latino outreach community engagement unit.
This morning at Northside Baptist Church, Telemundo Charlotte donated over 200 backpacks for the community collaboration to help students be prepared for the upcoming school year.
For students from low-income families, not having adequate school supplies can drastically change their trajectory for a successful future.
“We know that some families and parents simply won’t be able to afford the school supplies necessary for their child to take on a course, so by us providing this, the families won’t have that added stress,” Campos said. “We want them to focus on doing good in school, that’s all.”
Officers from the CMPD community engagement team filled the backpacks with all the necessary school supply items to help students in need.
All materials distributed will be used to create inviting learning environments and to support the academic and personal growth of students whose families lack the resources needed to purchase school supplies.
Imagine a child struggling and being teased by other children for not having what they need in class.
They might feel ashamed or feel that they don’t belong.
They might feel embarrassed asking to borrow a pencil or paper every day.
They are likely to not be motivated and could have issues with their mental wellness.
“We want our kids to have the tools they need to go to school prepared and not feel less than the rest of the kids. We want them to be at the same level as the other kids,” he said.
This community collaboration includes Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department, Telemundo Charlotte, WSOC-TV, Charlotte Fire Department, Fraternal Order of Progressive Firefighters Charlotte, Northside Baptist Church and others.
“Our hope is that the kids we help will be able to focus on their schoolwork and good grades, and not have to worry about not having the basics,” he said. Our goal is to reach the community, those people who need it most – our community.”
If you have an inspiring story to share, email Kevin Campbell, public affairs manager at WSOC-TV/WAXN-TV/Telemundo Charlotte, at Kevin.Campbell@wsoctv.com.