Submitted photos volunteers help with the 2022 Chautauqua Center Backpack Giveaway.
For the ninth year in a row, The Chautauqua Center and supporting organization The Waterfront Foundation are leading a backpack and school supply giveaway to benefit local students.
Volunteers recently came together to put together nearly 2,000 backpacks that were filled with school supplies for the Chautauqua Center’s community picnic events, as well as for all school districts in the county. Volunteers came from the Kiwanis Club of Jamestown, the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Board of Realtors, the Chautauqua County Office for Aging Services and the AM Rotary Club of Greater Jamestown. The program is made possible by donations from the Fredonia Walmart, Lakewood Walmart, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of WNY and the AM Rotary Club of Greater Jamestown.
Chautauqua Center staff are gearing up for the organization’s biggest annual events, formerly known as Family Fun Days, after a two-year hiatus caused by the pandemic. This year the most popular events have been rebranded with an emphasis on healthy eating and active lifestyles. TCC Community Picnics will be held Monday in Dunkirk at the Salvation Army, 704 Central Ave., from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. In Jamestown, the event will be held Tuesday at Jackson-Taylor Park on Washington St. from 11 a.m. at 1 p.m
Free family events are presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of WNY. Events will include Chautauqua County’s largest backpack and school supply giveaway, as well as healthy food, music, bounce houses, children’s games including sack races, water balloon tosses, prizes and face painting . New this year is the addition of the Jamestown Public Market Mobile Market which will offer free produce to attendees as well as Cornell Cooperative Extension food demonstrations, recipes and information on their SNAP and Double Up Food Bucks promotions that eating fresh food is more affordable. The Chautauqua Center will also offer free health screenings and education, and on-site clinical providers, including pediatricians and nutritionists, who can help answer questions for parents about healthy eating and preventive care.
To receive a backpack, students must have a family member or carer over the age of 18 present. There will be a variety of supplies available to choose from depending on the age group. Everyone of any age is welcome to attend this free community event and take advantage of the education and giveaways available to all.
Local vendors also attend to provide youth and parents with information and resources from 40 community organizations, including educational, health, advocacy and social service programs.
National Health Center Week is an annual celebration to raise awareness of the mission and accomplishments of America’s health centers. The Chautauqua Center is a community health center established in 2012 with locations in Dunkirk and Jamestown that provides health and support services to more than 12,000 people throughout the Chautauqua region. The center facilitates events and giveaways that benefit the entire community, not just its patients. Staff works with community members and local school districts to ensure children have access to health care and ancillary services (ie, counseling, dental care, etc.).
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