New School Year Preparations for County Public Housing Youth

School Supplies Distributed at the Annual Back to School Jams

Los Angeles County, August 18, 2022 – The Los Angeles County Development Authority (LACDA) celebrated the return to school season by hosting the annual Back to School Jams at the Carmelitos, Harbor Hills, Nueva Maravilla, and South County (Scattered Sites) public housing developments. Now in its 22^nd consecutive year, these events have provided public housing youth and their families the educational resources and school supplies to successfully kick-start the new school year.

The first full capacity Back to School Jams since the start of the pandemic, this year’s events distributed more than 1,400 backpacks full of stationary supplies to students grades K-12. Other items distributed included shoes and clothing. Youth and their families were also provided access to resource booths for information on health, food, and other critical resources. The event provided an opportunity for participants to reconnect with their community through entertainment, valuable resources, and togetherness.

The event at South County included a visit from Congresswoman Maxine Waters who helped distribute supplies to youth, spent time visiting with their families, and thanked vendors for their commitment to helping local residents.

Donors for this year’s events included Shelter Partnership in Los Angeles and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Rancho Palos Verdes.

“The LACDA is proud to continue this tradition with youth and their families,” said Emilio Salas, LACDA Executive Director. “Supplying youth with the tools to thrive throughout the school year, ensures their academic success and alleviates the financial burden such purchases may cause our public housing families.”