Crime & Safety

Firefighters Distribute Backpacks and School Supplies for Back to School

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue collected about 3,000 backpacks to distribute to local schools.

By Raytevia Evans

Fairfax County firefighters, local businesses and volunteers distributed about 3,000 backpacks stuffed with school supplies to about 70 local schools, shelters and nonprofit organizations.

According to Captain William Bailey who organizes the event every year, the schools that participate are Title 1 schools — which are schools with about 35 percent of their students receiving free or reduced lunch.

"Everything we do — the coat drive, school supplies — it all comes together," he said. "We have to make sure they have the right tools when they start school so they can succeed."

Faculty and staff from schools came to pick up the supplies for their students around 10:30 a.m., but volunteers from across the county arrived at Fire and Rescue Station 11, Penn Daw, in Alexandria around 7:30 a.m. to help prepare the supplies for pick up.

Local companies around Fairfax County and the D.C. metropolitan area also donated money and/or time to the cause.

"We have a corporate giving program, and we have an office in the Alexandria area near Edsall Road. Each office around the country chooses an event or charity," said Philip L. Soucy, CEO of Modern Technology Solutions, Inc. "We're mostly involved today because of Will Bailey. He's very convincing and very passionate. We donated and volunteered our time today."

Apple Federal Credit Union — one of the many businesses supporting the school supplies drive — also attended the event to show support for education.

"It's important to us to support this because we were established by a group of educators," said Robert L. Sowell Sr., vice president of community relations for Apple Federal Credit Union. "We have been volunteering for the last three years and we make contributions. In addition to helping and saving our community, firefighters also give back and contribute in the county in other ways."

Supervisors Jeff McKay and Penny Gross and Fire Chief Richard Bowers Jr. said there's no denying Bailey when he organizes his coat and toy drives throughout the year and getting the local community's support for this event took a lot of dedication. Gross said Fairfax County is a good community for everyone and these types of events help to ensure children have a better opportunity.

"It's important to shape our future leaders and I do believe it does take a community to make a difference," said David Rohrer, deputy county executive.

County Executive Ed Long said sometimes it just takes letting people know what they can do to help. In organizing the distribution of school supplies, Bailey helps ensure that students in the area have the best opportunities and also takes some of the trouble off of the parents' hands.

"For our community in general, it allows our students to feel ready and as if they're not being left out," said Tiashia Roberts, a school counselor at Woodlawn Elementary School. "Last year, we had about 700 students and we participate in the school drive every year. About half of the [Woodlawn] population is military, so this takes the load off of those parents when they're trying to settle in on base."

"We take seriously that every student that walks through the door has an equal right to learn and do well," McKay said.

Multiple organizations and businesses contributed or donated to buying school supplies and backpacks this year including the Alexandria Fire Department, Apple Federal Credit Union, Rotary Club of Tysons Corner, the Keith Burns Foundation, Working Family Radio Network, Kids R First, Coldwell Bankers and SEIU-VA 512.

This year's coat drive scheduled for Oct. 30.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.