Back to School Festival at King Community Center
MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee County Parks and the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center partnered for the 30th annual Back to School Festival on Saturday.
What they're saying:
The festival, including a bookbag giveaway, was held at King Park near 17th and Vliet. All activities were free and open to the public. There was also a youth talent show, games, free food and more.
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"Year after year, this event reminds us of the power of community and how we can come together to support the success of our youth," Guy Smith, Milwaukee County Parks executive director, said in a statement.
Supplies were available on a first-come, first-served basis. Organizers planned to distribute 1,000 bookbags filled with essential school supplies. Four hundred laptops were also available for qualifying students.
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"They're definitely needed. We enjoy back-to-school season, but it can be very taxing, especially when you have multiple children and you have different needs," said Marquay Ellison, who was there to get a laptop for his cousin. "It's nice when the community is able to come together and provide these things."
Former Milwaukee County Supervisor Elizabeth Coggs founded the festival to help prepare kids and families for school.
"This festival has become a tradition that families look forward to every summer," Dee McCollum, the community center's director, said in a statement. "It’s about more than book bags – it’s about connection, support, and making sure every child knows they are seen, valued, and ready to thrive in the classroom."
The Source: Information in this story is from Milwaukee County Parks.