Prepping for back to school: Food Brings Hope offers food, school supplies and vaccines

The nonprofit distributed 300 bags of food and school supplies at Mainland High School.

By Jarleene Almenas
| 12:00 p.m. August 12, 2021

Judi Winch, executive director for Food Brings Hope, directs cars during the Back to School Food and Supply Drive at Mainland High School on Thursday, Aug. 12. Photo by Jarleene Almenas

Food Brings Hope distributed 300 bags of food and school supplies during its Back to School Food and Supply Drive at Mainland High School on Thursday, Aug. 12. Photo by Jarleene Almenas

Mamie Oatis, FBH Community Grants and Operations director; volunteer Paria Ghyabi; and Forough Hosseini, FBH CEO and founder. Photo by Jarleene Almenas

Judi Winch, executive director for Food Brings Hope, directs cars during the Back to School Food and Supply Drive at Mainland High School on Thursday, Aug. 12. Photo by Jarleene Almenas

Volunteers Ashton James and Robert Taylor help unpack boxes during the Back to School Food and Supply Drive at Mainland High School on Thursday, Aug. 12. Photo by Jarleene Almenas

Christian Calderon receives his COVID-19 vaccine during the Back to School Food and Supply Drive at Mainland High School on Thursday, Aug. 12. Photo by Jarleene Almenas

FBH volunteer Annette Caito shows off the hams distributed to those who received a vaccine during the Back to School Food and Supply Drive at Mainland High School on Thursday, Aug. 12. Photo by Jarleene Almenas

Christian and Isaac Calderon both got vaccinated during the Back to School Food and Supply Drive at Mainland High School on Thursday, Aug. 12. Photo by Jarleene Almenas

Ormond Beach Observer
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Food Brings Hope on Tuesday, Aug. 12, worked to ensure local families had what they needed for a successful, and safe, first day of school.

The nonprofit distributed the community with 300 bags of food and school supplies during its Back to School Supply Drive on Thursday, Aug. 12, at Mainland High School. Additionally, Food Brings Hope, thanks to a partnership with AdventHealth and The Volusia County Department of Health, presented the public with an opportunity to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

Forough Hosseini, CEO and founder of Food Brings Hope, said the more people get vaccinated, the less problems there will be regarding outbreaks.

“We’re just trying to encourage more people to get vaccinated to be safer for themselves and their families," she said.

Christian Calderon and his brother Isaac were among those who took the opportunity. How did Christian feel after receiving the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine?

"Safer," he said.

For his mother, Lily Calderon, the decision to get vaccinated was reached due to outbreaks caused by the delta variant.

“My husband and I didn’t want it in the first place, but if they’re getting it, we might as well get it with them," she said. "We got ours yesterday, and now they’re getting theirs.”

She didn't expect the food and school supplies provided by Food Brings Hope. That was nice of them, Calderon said. People who received the vaccine also got a food gift card and a 10-pound ham.

Food Brings Hope, which offers a variety of school programs to address the academic and economic needs of children in Volusia and Flagler counties, will be serving four more schools this year.

“Obviously, eventually we want to be in every school so the fact that we are in over 30 schools now, we are getting closer and closer to our mission," Hosseini said. "We want to make sure we are there for every homeless and economically-disadvantaged student in our county.”