MEDIA ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Britney Gulledge, Director of Communications, Community of Hope,
(202) 984-1955
Bgulledge@cohdc.org
Bellevue’s Back to School Bash Kicks off
National Health Center Week with Big Fun and Major Support
The 10th annual Bellevue Back to School Bash is hosted by Community of Hope, DC Library, and Metropolitan Police Department to support local Ward 8 residents prepare for the upcoming school year.
Washington, DC – August 5, 2022 – The Bellevue community is celebrating education and health this year at the 10th annual Back to School Bash. This event, hosted by Community of Hope, DC Library, and the Metropolitan Police Department, is a local community highlight which distributes more than 1,500 backpacks to the community, offers health screenings, hair care for students, and family fun activities. This year, the bash also kicks off National Health Center Week, drawing in more attention to the importance of community health and wellness.
What: A community family event focused on distributing more than 1,500 backpacks, health screenings, hair care for students (barbers and braiders), raffle and prizes, live entertainment, and family fun activities. This year Amazon’s Housing Equity Fund joined as a major event supporter, ensuring the largest number of backpacks as well as exciting raffle items including Google Chromebooks.
Who: Carole Johnson and Jim Macrae, HRSA Administrators at the US Department of Health and Human Services; Catherine Buell, Director of Amazon’s Housing Equity Fund and Community of Hope board member and Representatives and leadership from Community of Hope, Bellevue/William O. Lockridge Neighborhood Library, and the Metropolitan Police Department; volunteers from A Cut of Success Barbers; plus more than 1,000 participants, volunteers, neighborhood and community members, staff and providers.
When: Monday, August 8, 2022 from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. Remarks from Carole Johnson, HRSA Administrator announcing new health center funding and highlighting how health centers support health equity in communities between 1-1:15 pm. A tour with the HRSA Administrator will occur starting at 12 pm.
Where: The event will be held at the Bellevue Neighborhood Library and Community of Hope on Atlantic Street SW between MLK Avenue and South Capitol Street.
Further information:
Founded in 1980, Community of Hope is a rapidly growing, innovative, and mission-driven nonprofit. Our team of almost 400 caring, dedicated staff members provides housing, healthcare and supportive services for low-income families in Washington, DC. We work to improve health access and equity in Washington, DC. We operate three community health centers, offering medical, dental and emotional wellness as well as extensive patient supportive services which reached over 13,000 people in 2021. We also work to end and prevent family homelessness in Washington, DC and are the only nonprofit in DC providing all services along the homelessness continuum, having impacted over 1,240 families in 2021.
For more information about Community of Hope, please visit www.communityofhopedc.org.
