ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — Families received 250 backpacks filled with school supplies last Saturday during the annual Team Up Hastings Back-to-School Festival.
The event was held at the W.E. Harris Community Center in St. Johns County to help children in the Hastings and Flagler Estates communities prepare for the new academic year.
The St. Johns County Parks and Recreation Department and Public Library System hosted the gathering, which offered services beyond classroom supplies. Children received free back-to-school physicals from UF Health St. Johns and immunizations from the Florida Department of Health, while Simon’s House provided complimentary breakfast and lunch for attendees.
The event began through the efforts of the Friends of the Library, which first provided school supplies to the local community. Emily Fox, program coordinator at the Hastings Branch Library, noted that the festival has expanded significantly through collaboration.
“The Hastings Back-to-School Festival came to life when the Friends of the Library started providing school supplies to the community,” Fox said. “It has been amazing to see how this festival has grown with the support of Team Up Hastings, as well as our many partner organizations.”
Volunteers from across St. Johns County and the local Hastings area organized the materials distributed by the St. Johns County Parks Foundation and the Hastings Friends of the Library. Family Kia of St. Augustine delivered a large donation of school supplies on the day of the event to support the distribution efforts.
Tess Simpson serves as the community program manager for the St. Johns County Parks and Recreation Department. She credited the festival’s outcomes to the collective work of local groups and individuals.
“This event is successful because our community comes together to support local families,” Simpson said. “Every partner, volunteer and organization plays an important role in helping children begin the school year with the supplies, support and confidence they need to succeed.”
The festival was supported by several other organizations, including the Rotary Club of Hastings and the St. Johns County Health Department.
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