The Arkansas Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission will host a Back to School Statewide Supply Tour. Free school supplies will be distributed simultaneously at each location on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last, according to a news release.
School supplies will be given away from noon to 3 p.m. on Aug. 13 at the following sites:
Pine Bluff — New Faith Missionary Baptist Church, 3800 S. Fir St.;
Stuttgart — Stuttgart Police Department, 514 S. Main St.;
Dumas — St. Peter’s Rock Missionary Baptist Church, 100 N. Cherry St.;
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Norphlet — Norphlet Middle School Gym; 700 School St.;
Little Rock — Temple of Restoration Church of God in Christ, 10610 Chicot Rd.;
Hope — Antioch Baptist Church 799 Highway 332 East;
Batesville — 1112 Vine St.;
Lowell — 520 S. Lincoln.
“This is our fifth annual Back to School Supply Tour,” said DuShun Scarbrough, executive director of the MLK Commission. “We rotate cities throughout all four congressional districts.”
The commission partners with several organizations to host nonpartisan activities throughout the state.
“We are pleased to once again partner with Walmart to provide hundreds of families school supplies for the upcoming school year. In partnership with US Bank, we will also provide information on financial literacy and home buying for kids to take home to families. We feel as though we can reach families through kids. After all, this is an opportunity for families to come together,” he said.
With supply chain interruptions and inflation, this effort will help parents get a head start on obtaining school supplies, according to Scarbrough.
“This is great relief for parents who may already have challenges buying food, clothes and getting haircuts for children. What’s even more remarkable for this event is that we’ve added rural locations in Arkansas where the outreach is greatly needed,” he said.
The mission of the MLK Commission, a division of the Arkansas Department of Education, is to promote and preserve the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Arkansas and to promote the principles of nonviolence and equality among all citizens.
“Our community outreach projects are designed to promote education, an appreciation for history, and to encourage youth to engage in positive leadership development and roles within their communities,” according to the news release.
Program partners include Walmart, Power 92 Jams, KOKY 102.1, the Praise Network, US Bank and Victory Over Violence.