Chicopee and Holyoke are both preparing for their respective back-to-school events featuring free backpacks, services and supplies for students attending the gatherings.
Chicopee
Faded Barber Lounge will once again host its back-to-school event on Sunday, Aug. 23, from noon to 4 p.m. at Rivers Park.
The initiative is led by Ricardo Diaz, owner of Faded Barber Lounge, and aims to support students as they prepare to return to school. At past events, hundreds of haircuts have been distributed, and approximately 1,000 backpacks with school supplies have been distributed in sponsorship with Chicopee Public Schools and Cradles to Crayons.
What started as a small event at the shop has turned into one of Diaz’s favorite days of the year. The event will feature free haircuts, braids, manicures and facials for youth. Diaz said a VR bus, a basketball tournament and face painting will also be available.
“We’re going to definitely try to make it better than ever,” Diaz stated. “It’s the fifth year so it’s definitely something special for us. It’s definitely extremely important for myself, but not only for me, but my team too at Faded Barber Lounge. We all strive to give back to the community.”
There will be a live DJ, free food and community resources for families. Aside from offering a fun environment with free services and tons of supplies to give away, Diaz highlighted the importance of resource tables at the event.
“I think our biggest goal with this event is to make sure that we bring resources to the table and have one space where maybe these people that can’t make it to an office, per se, or to a location to get these resources,” Diaz explained. “Sometimes, they can’t make it because they don’t have a vehicle, they don’t know how to take the bus, so our goal is to bring all these resources to their family right there in one shot so they can take advantage of that. It’s more than just haircuts; it’s more about bringing resources to the community.”
Diaz said he was inspired to start his own event after helping at a similar event that the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department spearheads in Holyoke. The Chicopee celebration used to give away 300 backpacks; now, it provides 1,000 backpacks and around 300 services.
He added that he wants to create role models in the community. “I want kids to see what we’re doing, and I want them to want to do the same thing, to be inspired by what we do,” he stated.
Diaz also talked about the importance of instilling confidence in the kids by giving them a fresh new look or a new backpack with supplies. He said these free acts of kindness also save each family money, which they can then use on something else.
“I always say, ‘look good, feel good.’ We’re sending these kids back looking good, feeling good and then we’re also giving the opportunity for their parents to be able to buy an extra pair of sneakers or an extra outfit or two because we’re providing these things and now, they don’t have to come out of pocket for backpacks, supplies or haircuts, nails, braids,” Diaz said.
Holyoke
Holyoke Safe Neighborhood Initiative’s annual back-to-school celebration is set for Saturday, Aug. 15, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at McNally Field, located behind Kelly School.
Organizers and volunteers have prepared more than 2,500 backpacks with school supplies to give away to Holyoke students, along with free activities, music and food for children of all ages.
This event and the giveaways are for students who live in the city of Holyoke. No registration or income verification is required to attend the free event.
Ed Caisse of the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department and the Holyoke Safe Neighborhood Initiative program launched the annual event in 2012 to provide school supplies to support Holyoke school children.
“The Holyoke Safe Neighborhood Initiative has always been about giving young people every opportunity to succeed,” Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi said. “Yes, we’re putting backpacks and school supplies into the hands of 2,500 children, but we’re also showing them that their community believes in them. By building positive relationships, connecting families with valuable resources and surrounding our youth with mentors and role models, we’re helping them start the school year prepared today while encouraging them to dream bigger about tomorrow.”
