The Rose Bowl was hopping last weekend with over 5,000 attendees who participated in an Easter egg hunt, where over 40,000 eggs were gathered. Among the activities, music, and food being offered, The Pasadena Human Services & Recreation Department (HSRD) was there, planting the seed for their 27th Annual Michael Bryant Haircut and Back to School event that takes place in August and where backpacks and school supplies are distributed to kids in need. “Michael Bryant was a local barber here in Pasadena”, explains Horace Wormely, Deputy Director of HSRD, “who year after year offered free haircuts to local residents returning to school, from his shop on Lincoln Avenue.”
Twenty-seven years later, the tradition not only lives on, but also continues to grow. Joining the Pasadena Police Department, Pasadena Unified School District, Target, and other non-profits that support the back to school event, is Sydney Paige® Inc., a Buy One | Give One company, where for each backpack purchased, Sydney Paige® will donate an identical bag, filled with school supplies, to a child in need. “We are so excited about the additional kids in need this will allow us to reach,” says Courtney Brockmeyer, Founder & CEO of the backpack company, “as well as being able to work with passionate groups and individuals who share our goal of helping underserved children learn and thrive in school.”
Maricela Galvez, Program Coordinator, who spearheaded the weekend effort for HSRD, wanted to get the word out about purchasing Sydney Paige® backpacks, so that Robinson Park Center can reach its goal of donating 300 backpacks filled with school supplies to children in need in the Northwest Pasadena communities.
Both HSRD and Sydney Paige® are passionate about these children starting the school year off prepared and confident. Brockmeyer states, “The top reasons for kids dropping out of school are simply lack of confidence and the lack of tools to do their work. By providing underserved children with new, high quality backpacks and the supplies they need, we are providing them with a foundation to succeed.”
To learn more and purchase Sydney Paige® backpacks, supporters can go to http://www.sydneypaigeinc.com/pasadenabackpacks.
About Human Services & Recreation Department
The Human Services and Recreation Department offers programs and activities, which serve community members of all ages and abilities in the Pasadena area. They provide individuals with an opportunity to enhance their lives by meeting new friends and neighbors, exploring the arts, learning about community services, developing skills and so much more! There are 29 parks and centers in our community. The 27th Annual Michael Bryant Haircut and Back to School Event will be held at the Robinson Park Center, which is a is a multi-purpose social service delivery center providing assistance to a culturally, economically, and socially diverse population in the Northwest area of Pasadena. http://cityofpasadena.net/HumanServices
Sydney Paige® Inc. is a buy one, give one company where for every product sold, a matching product is donated to a child in need. They sell quality backpacks, accessories and children’s books with a focus on education as self-empowerment for a better future. With their products and their ‘Giving Back Together®’ movement, Sydney Paige Inc. addresses the top reasons for drop out, which are the lack of confidence and lack of tools for students to do their work. Sydney Paige products are sold online, through retailers and via fundraisers. Sydney Paige Inc. is certified as a women’s business enterprise by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). http://www.sydneypaigeinc.com
