LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dream Center is welcoming students back to their campus in Echo Park for their annual Back-to-School Bash on August 6, from 10am-1pm PST. In partnership with presenting sponsor Kershaw’s Challenge, and signature partner The Dodgers Foundation, this annual gathering will feature numerous backpacks and school supplies donated to school children in the community who are preparing to start a new school year. This year, students can also look forward to a petting zoo, batting cages, a water slide, and much more to be enjoyed at the Dream Center’s campus.
This is the 9th year that the Dream Center and Kershaw’s Challenge have partnered to host this highly anticipated event. Generous donations, from corporations like Skechers and many others, have made possible for 3,500 backpacks to be given away to those who need them. And this year, Pair of Thieves is donating 3,500 pairs of socks, Baby2Baby is donating 500 essential kits (including hygiene products, masks, comfort items and educational activities), and UCLA is also offering dental and nursing services for free at the Dream Center campus for this special event.
“Our kids have not had it easy in the past couple of years,” said Dream Center co-founder Matthew Barnett. “So this is one way to show them that they matter to us, we’re looking out for their needs, and that we won’t let them down. I’m blown away by the continuous generosity of those in our community that make special occasions like this possible. We all know that this spirit of generosity is helping to keep financially strapped parents afloat right now. I pray the Back-to-School Bash will be just one of many methods we use to show the children of Los Angeles that they are loved.”
“This is the day we look forward to every year,” said Clayton and Ellen Kershaw. “The Back-to-School Bash has become a signature event and we are so excited to be part of it again. This year we anticipate giving out more backpacks than ever before. We really care about helping get kids ready for a new school year — it just seems like a tangible way to show them they are loved and supported. That’s the whole idea behind Kershaw’s Challenge.”
Further details for the Back to School Bash:
- This a FREE community event, all are welcome
- Supplies will be distributed on a first come, first served basis
- Event Address: 2301 Bellevue Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90026
Clayton Kershaw will be available for interviews at 9:45am for 10 minutes. For any press looking to take advantage of this opportunity to speak with Clayton, please reach out to press@jdaworldwide.com to coordinate in advance.
About the Los Angeles Dream Center
The Los Angeles Dream Center is a faith-based non-profit organization located in Echo Park, dedicated to transforming lives and underserved communities in the city of Los Angeles. By offering residential and outreach programs to individuals, families and communities in the areas of homelessness, hunger, poverty, addiction, domestic violence, education, and human trafficking, the Dream Center is committed to enabling immediate and long-term transformation. The Dream Center welcomes those in need into our community completely free-of-charge with the resources, training, and support they need, regardless of faith, age, gender, orientation, nationality, or any other defining factor.
Kershaw’s Challenge: Since 2011, Ellen & Clayton Kershaw’s charity, Kershaw’s Challenge, has raised over $16 million for vulnerable and at-risk children, living in Los Angeles, Dallas, Zambia and the Dominican Republic. Their goal is to partner with and work alongside organizations on the front lines of change to make life better for children. For more information, please visit: https://www.kershawschallenge.com. Instagram: @kershawschallenge, Facebook: /claytonkershaw22, and Twitter: @kershschallenge.
The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation is bigger than baseball with ambitions to be the city’s premier charity. We envision a city where everyone regardless of zip code has the opportunity to thrive. We are tackling the most pressing problems facing Los Angeles with a mission to improve education, health care, homelessness and social justice for all Angelenos. Since 1995, we have invested more than $32 million in programs and grants to nonprofits, and fundraising has increased by 1,000% since 2012. That growth has enabled us to do more. In 2020, LADF was awarded ESPN’s Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year, Beyond Sport’s Sport for Reduced Racial Inequalities Collective Impact Award, and the Aspen Institute Project Play Champion. To learn more, visit www.dodgers.com/LADF, follow them on Twitter, @DodgersFdn, Instagram, @dodgersfoundation, and like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LosAngelesDodgersFoundation.
Read more news on Non-Profit / Faith-Based Organizations, Gift Distribution and Children’s Education on Missions Box.