Festival ensures Vancouver students Go Ready to school

1,746 kids and adults served.

About 500 bags of clothes distributed.

160 haircuts given.

100 immunizations administered to about 40 kids via Free Clinic of Southwest Washington.

1,600 hot dogs served.

4,000 Ice cream treats served.

About 80 volunteers working.

About 50 community partners involved.

o Total enrollment: 23,399.

o 51.6 percent of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

o 13 Family-Community Resource Centers at high-poverty schools.

Nellie Mae Mitchell, 6, an incoming first-grader at Minnehaha Elementary School, and her brother Cedric John Mitchell, 2, received free immunizations and haircuts at Wednesday’s Go Ready Festival at Hudson’s Bay High School.

But the siblings were most enthusiastic about the ice cream bars they were licking.

Their dad, Cedric Mitchell, brought his kids for immunizations and shoes. Although they arrived 30 minutes after the doors opened, the Mitchell family stood in a long line to choose clothing. By the time they reached the clothing tables, no shoes remained.

“But I got her a coat and a vest,” Mitchell said, gesturing toward his daughter, who was busy eating her ice cream treat. “And now they’re up to date on their shots.”

More than 1,700 Vancouver Public Schools students and their families received free immunizations, haircuts, clothing and more at the district’s second annual back-to-school-readiness festival organized by the nonprofit Foundation for Vancouver Public Schools. The event serves the district’s students eligible for free or reduced-price meals. Last year more than 51 percent of Vancouver’s 23,399 students qualified.

Many volunteers chipped in to help provide services. The Free Clinic of Southwest Washington provided immunizations. The Lions Club of Salmon Creek checked children’s vision. Volunteers from Vancouver First United Methodist Church, City Harvest and other churches brought bags of clothing and shoes. Beaches provided hotdogs, Dutch Bros. made Italian sodas and Umpqua Bank donated 4,000 ice cream bars. In all, about 50 community partners provided information about early learning, counseling, health care, housing and other services.

“The biggest thing this year was meeting the need,” said Alishia Topper, the district’s director of strategic partnerships, who helped organize the event. “Last year, we planned for only 500, but we had 2,000 people.”

Last year, they ran out of donated items. This year organizers had more space, more vendors, and food was provided. Unlike last year, school supplies were not available. Instead, they will be distributed by each school.

Families started lining up by 7 a.m., said Carla Feltz, coordinator of the Family-Community Resource Center at Washington Elementary. A middle school boy showed up with a folding chair more than three hours before the doors opened so he could be first in line. He told organizers he came last year and almost everything was gone. This year, he didn’t want to miss anything.

“That underscores the need,” said Catherine McCallum-Ceballos, who works with the district’s resource centers. “The way we framed it this year was connecting families to resources.”

Last year, three stylists provided free haircuts. This year, 16 stylists cut hair. Even so, the line of folks waiting for haircuts snaked into the hallway.

Melissa Thomas supervised while her three sons, Brody, 10, Reuben, 7, and Clement, 4, sat in barber’s chairs. Reuben and Brody attend Minnehaha Elementary.

“You ready, Clem?” Melissa Thomas asked her youngest son. “He’s going to make it look as good as Daddy’s.”

Barber Derek Thomas, founder of Hands of Favor, a haircut ministry, picked up the electric clippers.

Clem’s eyes opened wide, but he sat still for his haircut.

Outside in the parking lot, families headed for home with new haircuts, bags of clothing, Italian sodas and — most important to the children — ice cream.