LUBBOCK, Texas — The Salvation Army held their third Back to School Party event on Monday night at 5:30 p.m.
Erika Hitt, social services manager for the Salvation Army, said there are 29 school-age children at their facility. She said the family unit stays at capacity for most of the year.
“When these kids come in, they’re facing some kind of crisis and they don’t have clothes, they don’t have shoes for their feet and they certainly are not thinking about school supplies so those are the things that we’re here to help them with,” Hitt said.
Hitt said through sponsors, the kids are given school supplies, backpacks and shoes to prepare for the school year. There were also games and free haircuts for the children.
Hitt said the most children they’ve held at their shelter was 42 following Thanksgiving. The average is around 20 children, and stay for about three to four months.
“These families come to us it’s not their highest moment most of them are facing either an eviction, they’ve been living in their car,” Hitt said. “It’s not a good time. So the last thing we want on those children’s minds is worrying about what they’re going to wear on the first day of school.”
Hitt said events like this are important to help the community get engaged.
