Akron families gathered at House Three Thirty on August 24 for the fourth annual Better Together Book Bag Giveaway, a community‑driven event that supplied free backpacks, school supplies and five laptops to local students. The giveaway, organized by the LeBron James Family Foundation in partnership with Chase, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Summit, Medina & Stark Counties, Signal Akron and the Educational Empowerment Group, aimed to ease the financial pressure many families face at the start of the school year.
Parents praise the support
Takita Rankin, a mother of three, said the event eliminated the need to purchase any school supplies this year. “The backpacks had everything you could need in them—notebook paper, pencils, scissors, crayons, calculators and glue sticks,” she recounted. “We were ecstatic.” Rankin added that her children enjoyed selecting their own backpacks, a tradition she looks forward to each year.
Chase’s contribution and raffle
Chase employees packed hundreds of backpacks and donated five laptops, which were raffled to five families. Ace Epps, Chase’s community manager for Akron, highlighted the broader impact of the partnership. “Back‑to‑school is an exciting time, but it’s also financially stressful for many families,” Epps said. “We want to ease the burden on students and give them a head start on their shopping list.”
More than just backpacks
The event featured a live DJ, a bluegrass band, a financial‑wellness workshop hosted by Chase, and free ice cream. Attendees could explore the Family Room gathering space, a community‑model Starbucks, Buckets restaurant, a retail shop and the LeBron James’ Home Court Museum located within House Three Thirty.
Monique Ransome, director of community relations at House Three Thirty, expressed pride in hosting the giveaway. “Seeing hundreds of kids fill the space and smile ear‑to‑ear as they line up for their backpacks and ice cream makes all of the effort worth it,” she said.
Year‑round resources
House Three Thirty remains an open community gathering space for Akron residents beyond the giveaway. Ace Epps noted that Chase continues to offer year‑round financial‑education workshops covering budgeting, saving, building credit and fraud prevention. The sessions are open to both Chase customers and non‑customers.
Families interested in attending future events or learning more about the resources available at House Three Thirty can visit the venue’s website or stop by a local Chase branch for additional information.
Community impact
By providing essential school supplies and technology at no cost, the Better Together Book Bag Giveaway supports Akron’s traditional families and helps children start the academic year prepared. The collaboration among local nonprofits, a major financial institution and the LeBron James Family Foundation demonstrates a shared commitment to strengthening the community and upholding the values of parental responsibility and individual liberty.
Original reporting: Signal Akron — read the source article.
