McKeesport organizations make sure students are ready for school

By JEFF STITT

jstitt@yourmvi.com

McKeesport Area School District students headed back to school Monday and thanks to efforts all over the city, hundreds of students have new book bags and school supplies.

In partnership with other organizations, the city, MASD, the Men of Valor, NAACP and the Carnegie Library of McKeesport all held book bag giveaways in the lead up to the 2021-22 school year.

The NAACP McKeesport Unit wanted kids to wake up on the first day of school ready to go. That’s why it held its annual back-to-school giveaway Sunday.

The NAACP unit — with help from Mayor Michael Cherepko and city hall employees, McKeesport police and others — handed out backpacks at multiple locations across the city, including the Healthy Village Learning Institute on Freemont Street, New Beginnings Ministry on Shaw Avenue and McKeesport Shared Ministerium’s Beulah Park Church on Grandview Avenue.

HVLI is an African-centered process in the community that provides learning opportunities for people of all races through artifacts, books, technology, and art.

The NAACP unit said it gave away backpacks, school supplies and hygiene essentials. 

“We wish the McKeesport Area community a happy, safe first day of school,” the partnering organizations said in a statement Monday morning.

The weekend prior to the NAACP McKeesport Unit’s giveaway, the Men of Valor youth mentoring organization distributed backpacks in Harrison Village, Crawford Village and on Bailie Avenue.

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