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from United Way of South Texas

United Way’s Day of Caring “Project FreshStart” Provides School Supplies for 3,400 Freshmen in Hidalgo and Starr Counties

January 30, 2023


United Way of South Texas held the Hidalgo County Day of Caring “Project FreshStart” school supply distribution in December. The Starr County event took place in the summer.

United Way funds the Day of Caring “Project FreshStart” with support from all donors, and launched the program in 2011. This annual project provides essential school supplies for 3,400 high school Freshmen. Supplies include binders, paper, spiral notebooks, highlighters, pens, pencils, erasers, folders and hand sanitizer. “On behalf of the P.S.J.A. community, we would like to thank United Way of South Texas,” P.S.J.A. I.S.D. Student Services Director Dr. Ruben Borrego said. “They have been instrumental in making sure our communities and students have the resources they need to be successful. The services they provide at no cost to our community are tremendous, from the Back to School ‘In Style’ Shopping Spree to Day of Caring, where we received school supplies for close to 1,000 freshmen.”  Counselors at each school district select the students who receive these items. Over 32,00 families have benefited to date. School districts in this year’s Day of Caring Project rotation included: McAllen I.S.D., P.S.J.A. I.S.D., Rio Grande City Grulla I.S.D., Roma I.S.D., Weslaco I.S.D., and Valley View I.S.D.

“Roma I.S.D. is extremely grateful to United Way for always making the students of The Gladiator Nation a priority,” Roma I.S.D. Superintendent Carlos M. Gonzalzs Jr. said. “United Way is a wonderful organization comprised of a team with big hearts and great ideas for making our community a better place. We thank them for our leadership with these projects for our school.”

The United Way Board of Directors thanks all supporters who make projects like Day of Caring and the Youth Leadership Mentorship programs possible. United Way is committed to helping youth succeed and invests in dozens of programs that directly impact a child’s academic and mental performance in the classroom.

About United Way:

United Way of South Texas invests in programs that address critical services in the areas of Health, Education, Financial Stability, and Safety Net. The organization supports over 21 non-profit agencies in Hidalgo and Starr Counties that serve a minimum of 178,500 local residents annually. Services provided by United Way of South Texas through Partner Agencies include emergency shelter, family violence counseling, character building programs, child victim advocacy, and infant stimulation classes. To learn more, visit www.unitedwayofsotx.org. If you would like to support United Way programs with a monetary donation, you may mail a tax deductible check to United Way of South Texas at P.O. Box 187, McAllen, TX 78505-0187 or pledge online at https://unitedwayofsotx.org/donate-now/. For volunteer opportunities, visit volunteersotx.org.