Helping the Richmond community, one backpack at a time
on September 26, 2019
Change 4 FiveHundred hosted their third annual backpack giveaway in collaboration with Ya-NEEMA Healing Circle & Supportive Services at Shields Reid Community Center in North Richmond on September 22.
The group served pizza and distributed school supplies inside about 120 backpacks at the Sunday gathering. Local families and children enjoyed a live DJ, prizes, games, bike rodeo, storytelling and information about community services and resources.
Marcus Byrd-Ray founded Change 4 FiveHundred in 2017 in an attempt to transform the culture of violence in North Richmond by mentoring, inspiring and giving back to the community. Y-NEEMA is a support group for people affected by gun violence, according to its Facebook page.
“Change 4 FiveHundred came from me thinking outside the box and wanting more for my community,” said Byrd-Ray. The Change 4 FiveHundred event was a way “to represent something greater in the community,” he added.
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