Hundreds of kids were prepped for back-to-school activities on Saturday at a community fair in West Philadelphia.State Representative Joanna McClinton and Philadelphia City Councilwoman Jamie Gauthier hosted the back-to-school and job fair on 60th and Walnut streets, closing down the block for the all-day event.
"Families can come out here and get their backpacks, their school supplies. We have food, we have activities, we have a moon bounce," explained Gauthier. "We are a community. We take care of one another and we know that these costs rack up. At the beginning of the school year, you get this huge list of supplies and want to make that a little easier for people," she added."I'll be like, 'Oh my God, are we going to be able to afford this?'" she recalled."To show somebody that, you know, somebody else cares other than your parents and to get their trust," Thomas said.
The event offered help for parents too. Different booths offered mental health resources and advertised job openings as well.The first day of school this year in Philadelphia is September 5, right after Labor Day.