Pictured (left to right) are Rotarians Mike Kevlin, club president and Kathy Lemman, president-elect, presenting a check for $8,000 to Chris Butsch, YMCA Executive Director and Talybra Hollins, YMCA Director of Operations. The donation went to the YMCA’s Operation Backpack which provides needy students with school supplies to start the new school year. The YMCA’s goal this year is to help 3,000 local children through its annual school supplies drive. (Photo courtesy of Pat Guard – The Forest Image)
The Rotary Club of Humble provided $8,000 on August 5th to help support The Lake Houston Family YMCA’s Operation Backpack for this school year. The YMCA’s goal this year is to help 3,000 local children through its annual school supplies drive. Last year they helped over 2,000 children with backpacks and school supplies in the Lake Houston area.
“We have spent the last several years ensuring the families of our community who are in need receive a backpack and school supplies to start the year. Though we face this pandemic and the school structure looks different for every family, the assistance is even greater. Providing supplies will be a great relief for the families of our community. We are grateful to have the support from the Rotary Club of Humble,” said Director of Operations, Talybra Hollins.
Mike Kevlin, Rotary Club of Humble president, said “Our Club is proud of our long partnership with the YMCA and happy to be able to support Operation Backpack. What a great investment in helping our children start their school year with the supplies they need to be successful.”
The YMCA partners with local school districts to provide backpacks filled with supplies to families with children in need. The Lake Houston Family YMCA’s Operation Backpack is part of the YMCA of Greater Houston area’s Operation Backpack. It is one of the largest back-to-school supply drives in Texas. It has been a year over year success as part of the YMCA of Greater Houston’s commitment to improving student academic achievement. Last year, YMCA Operation Backpack delivered backpacks and school supplies to more than 120,000 children in Houston and surrounding areas.
“We continue to keep our mission the same even during unprecedented times to ensure no child is left behind and the needs of our community are met. Our goal of serving 3,000 seems ambitious, but we know the need is even greater this year with COVID-19’s impact on our families.”
We are excited for the opportunity to achieve this goal and ensure our youth are able to start the year with the supplies to support their educational needs,” said Executive Director, Chris Butsch.
In addition to Rotary, this program relies on the support of individuals and businesses throughout the Lake Houston area. Charitable donations may be made directly to the Lake Houston Family YMCA at https://www.ymcahouston.org/locations/lake-houston-family-ymca (click on Give) or the Rotary Club of Humble at https://www.humblerotary.com/ (click on Donate button).
The Rotary Club of Humble is where neighbors, friends, and problem-solvers meet weekly to share ideas, join leaders, and take action to create lasting change in our community. We have club activities, social events, and volunteer projects which offer networking opportunities that build personal and professional connections while at the same time serving the community. Rotary is an international service organization and you may extend your local networks by visiting other clubs in Texas or around the globe. For more information visit us at https://www.humblerotary.com/ .