CONTRIBUTED BY THE CITY OF OPELIKA
On Thursday, Aug. 29, Esperanza House hosted a back to school registration and backpack giveaway at Opelika’s Goodwill Career Center. There were 60 students registered for Opelika City Schools and 92 backpacks distributed with help from Opelika police officers. Goodwill also provided 92 gift cards for back to school shopping. Approximately 33 Hispanic families were served, fed and are now prepared to start the school year.
Opelika would like to thank so many organizations that came alongside Esperanza House for this event:
– Goodwill Career Center
– Auburn Community Church
– Church of The Highlands (Opelika Campus)
– City of Opelika Community Development
– Opelika Police Department (Community officers, School officers)
– Our older Esperanza House students helped serve as well! We are so proud of them!
Goodwill not only hosted the event but provided five interpreters that came here from their other Career Center in Columbus. Esperanza House is excited to launch their tutoring program for the Opelika Hispanic students at the Goodwill Career Center school year 2021-22.
“We are blown away by all the support and thankful for all of these organizations working together to serve a serious need in the community! Esperanza House looks forward to working with these organizations and the City of Opelika in the future,” said Odalys Silvera of Esperanza House.
“The Back-to-School registration and backpack giveaway held at the Goodwill Center was amazing! To see the children excited to embark on a new school year and eager to learn is refreshing. We had a fantastic turnout and hope to make this an annual event for our Hispanic community,” said Lisa Thrift, City of Opelika Community Development.