Community • 1st Sep, 22

CEOC & Bridgebuilders Partner to Prepare Record Number of Students for the New School Year

CEOC partnered with BridgeBuilers to host its annual “I Got Your Back” event on Saturday, August 13. The initiative equipped more than 350 students and their families for the school year. 

Students in Pre-K through 12th grades were provided with backpacks, school supplies, and medical and community resources. They also received haircuts and styling from Prime Nation and Bro’s Barbershop. Additionally, students participating in the BridgeBuilders summer programs were gifted uniforms and Foot Locker gift cards from Mercy Street, a South Dallas organization focused on empowering inner-city youth to transform their communities. Remaining school supplies were donated to established BridgeBuilders’ partner HS Thompson Middle School.

“We are proud to announce that we more than doubled our impact from last year’s event. This initiative is a huge blessing to Bonton,” says CEOC President and Founder Scott Turner. “Our partners came through at an unbelievable level to help us bring the community together, provide meaningful resources and opportunities, and bring awareness to our initiatives that will both immediately and sustainability impact the people living here.”

The event also welcomed all residents at a community block party to celebrate the success of two significant projects in Bonton: the Literacy Lab and The South Dallas Driving Academy. More than 500 residents and volunteers enjoyed Wagyu beef hamburgers and hot dogs donated by Rosewood Ranches, as well as 1,300 bags of chips and 1,400 drinks provided by Frito Lay. Guests were also invited to explore the Frito Lay Cheetos trailer and enjoyed a wide variety of activities for all ages including live music, Bingo, basketball, inflatables, face painting, a manicure station, and snow cones.

Regarding future plans, Turner says, “We are currently building a new literacy lab on the Frisco/Little Elm border that will serve the youth living in and around that area. CEOC is focused on meeting the needs of under-resourced communities wherever they exist, including the oftentimes overlooked rural areas.”

CEOC and BridgeBuilders united with their invaluable partners to prepare students for the school year and host a community block party. This effort resulted in abundant support for school supplies, event needs, raffle items, game prizes, and volunteers. Partners that supported this event include Advanced Fixtures Inc., Generational Group, JPI, Green Street Real Estate Ventures, The Webb Family Foundation, The Hawkins Family Foundation, The Hallelujah Fund, The Mission 316 Foundation, Sam’s Club, Walmart, Prestonwood Baptist Church, Origin Bank, ProStar Energy, Avondale Dealerships, Cigna, NBCUniversal, Planning Mode, Dallas Police Department Community Affairs, and the Black Police Association of Greater Dallas.