The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Foundation on Tuesday announced plans to donate 10,000 backpacks and other school supplies for local students whose parents might be financially strained due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The backpacks will be given out by Metro Police’s 10 substations at different locations beginning Wednesday through Aug. 8.
"There are so many families that are struggling financially, and this is to be able to help alleviate some of that financial burden,” said Metro Sgt. Jason Santos in a Tuesday press briefing at police headquarters, the trailers of backpacks showing in the background.
“So many of these students are eager about going back to school,” he said, “We don’t want them to worry about, ‘What backpack am I going to (carry)? What school supplies am I going to need?’”
Students will have to wait to show off their supplies in Clark County as the school district voted to begin the school year remotely, starting Aug. 24.
The giveaway comes at a time of economic turmoil in Nevada. With a 15% unemployment rate, the state ranks among the worst in the U.S. In April, the percentage of unemployed peaked at 30%.
Currently, more than 224,000 Nevadans are reporting to be out of work, compared with 56,000 in January, as COVID-19 had just begun spreading across the world.
The giveaway is a collaboration between the foundation, which is Metro’s private-sector fundraising arm, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Nevada Medicaid, and United Way of Southern Nevada.
The events, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., will be held at the following locations and dates:
Wednesday: Harbor Island Apartments, 370 E. Harmon Ave.
Thursday: John R. Hummel Elementary School, 9800 Placid St. and Cashman Park, 4622 W. Desert Inn Road.
Saturday: Pirates Cove Road and Luna Way.
Sunday: Aguilas Church, 5355 Madre Mesa Drive.
July 29: Mater Academy of Nevada, 3445 S. Mountain Vista St.
July 30: Bob Price Community Center, 2050 Bonnie Lane.
Aug. 3: Veterans Village: 50 N. 21st Street.
Aug. 4: Liberty Baptist Church, 6501 W. Lake Mead Blvd.
Aug. 6: Stupak Center, 251 W. Boston Ave.
Metro’s Southeast Area Command substation will distribute supplies across 17 schools and Boys and Girls Club locations from Aug. 4 to Aug. 6.