The smell of fresh notebook paper paired with the sound of a squeaky shopping cart rolling down the aisles typically signifies the start of the back-to-school season. But at House Three Thirty in Akron, families were welcomed by community partners and local nonprofits to help them get ready for the upcoming school year.
Takita Rankin, a mother of three children, said she didn’t have to buy any school
supplies this year thanks to the event.
“The backpacks had everything you could need in them. They had notebook paper,
pencils, scissors, crayons, calculators and glue sticks,” Takita listed off. “We were
ecstatic.”
For the fourth year, Akron families were invited to the LeBron James Family Foundation’s House Three Thirty for The Better Together Book Bag Giveaway, a free event hosted by Chase, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Summit, Medina & Stark Counties, Signal Akron, and Educational Empowerment Group.
Chase packed hundreds of backpacks with school supplies as part of the event and donated five laptops which were raffled off to five lucky families.
“I look forward to this event every year, and the kids are enthusiastic because they get to pick out their own backpacks,” Takita said.
Chase Community Manager Ace Epps works with the Akron community and knows the impact the event has on local families.
“Back-to-school is an exciting time, but it’s also financially stressful for many families,” said Ace. “We want to ease the burden on students and give them a head start on their shopping list.”
The Better Together Book Bag Giveaway featured 20 local nonprofit organizations, a live DJ and live bluegrass band, a financial wellness workshop with Chase, and free ice cream. Attendees could also visit various offerings across House Three Thirty including the Family Room gathering space, a community model Starbucks, Buckets restaurant, a retail shop and the LeBron James’ Home Court Museum.
“We’re so proud to host this event for the Akron community,” said Monique Ransome, director of community relations at House Three Thirty. “Seeing hundreds of kids fill the space and smile ear-to-ear as they line up for their backpacks and ice cream makes all of the effort worth it.”
The access to free resources doesn’t end when the giveaway is over. House Three Thirty remains an open community gathering space for Akron.
Ace Epps, Chase Community Manager in Akron, is also a resource for students and families year-round. “We host money skills workshops on essential topics like budgeting, saving, building credit, and preventing fraud and scams. Everyone is welcome— Chase customers and noncustomers alike.”
To plan your next trip to House Three Thirty, visit here: https://www.housethreethirty.com/
To learn more, stop by your local Chase branch or visit chase.com/financialgoals.
