MILWAUKEE – The start of the new school year is right around the corner, so the Milwaukee Health Department and community leaders are making sure kids are ready.
The health department held its 22nd annual health fair outside Fiserv Forum Friday, offering families anything from routine child immunizations to backpacks.
Department spokesperson Emily Tao said eager families began lining up for the event that usually draws in thousands more than an hour before the fair was set to start.
“A lot of families really look forward to it,” she explained. “Not only is it an opportunity to get those free vaccines without making an appointment with your doctor but those free school supplies and backpacks go a long way.”
A few miles away from the Deer District, one Milwaukee man was also doing his part to help get kids ready for the new academic year.
At St. Marcus Lutheran School Friday, 400 pairs of shoes of all sizes, backpacks, hairdos, and haircuts were all up for grabs.
For 11 years Ja Carrie Carr has run his Kicks for Kids campaign to help area families overwhelmed by back-to-school shopping.
“We’re just trying to lessen the burden on the parents and let their kids go to school prepared and ready for class,” he said. “So, they don’t have to be worried about being bullied or teased for what they don’t have.”
Carr said so far Kicks for Kids has given away about 25,000 shoes thanks to a combination of small community donations and big-name sponsors, like the Milwaukee Bucks and Washington Wizards player Jordan Poole.
The next giveaway is set for Aug. 11, parents interested in taking advantage can register with the group on Facebook.
The Milwaukee Health Department’s fair also featured entertainment from Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra’s steelpan bands, a visit from Mayor Cavalier Johnson, and health resources targeting adults.
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