Community

Lend A Hand Foundation Seeking $50,000 to Support More Oakland Families

LAHF started its back-to-school program in 1999, giving out 200 backpacks with supplies. This year LAHF distributed 8,500 backpacks full of school supplies, bringing the total number over its 24-year existence to 106,000. They are looking forward to reaching its milestone of 25 years in 2022.

Published

4 years ago

August 13, 2021

Isabelle Price

Lend A Hand Foundation Banner Photo Courtest Organizations Website

In distributing 8,500 backpacks full of school supplies to Oakland students on July 31, leaders at Lend A Hand Foundation (LAHF) counted its 24^th giveaway a tremendous success.

Excited that they were able to help, LAHF staff were also saddened that many students were not able to get supplies before school started.

For that reason, LAHF is seeking additional help as the calls for aid have not stopped, parents are worried, dismayed, and already have other challenges to meet just keeping a roof over their heads, leaders said. Families are needing help with school supplies, school clothes, toiletries, and more, they said.

Happy to step up to do all they can, LAHF has a new goal. They aim to raise an additional $50,000, which will help support more families now and be prepared for their “Joy of Giving” program, which starts in November and runs through January providing food, coats, additional school supplies, holiday gifts for children and more.

Dee Johnson, executive director of LAHF said, “I believe that it would be ideal if the many organizations doing backpack drives in Oakland could come together to form a cohort so we might collectively coordinate our efforts. This could mean more students would be reached, a decrease of duplication of services, and thereby making sure many students are not left behind.”

For more information about Lend A Hand, visit www.lendahandfoundation.org or email info@lendahandfoundation.org.

This story is proved by the Lend A Hand Foundation.

The Oakland Post’s coverage of local news in Alameda County is supported by the Ethnic Media Sustainability Initiative, a program created by California Black Media and Ethnic Media Services to support community newspapers across California.