ProVia helping students prep for school

School shopping and preparing for a new school year can be a foreboding and expensive experience, but it doesn’t have to be.

Thanks to ProVia’s annual Prepare for Success back-to-school event, which will take place Saturday, Aug. 7 from 8-11 a.m., area families are invited to partake in an event that will help curb those school-shopping woes.

“The Prepare for Success event is aimed at helping local families with school-age children between kindergarten through fifth grade prepare for the upcoming school year,” said Ed Breehl, ProVia event planner. “This year we’ll have school supplies and backpacks available while supplies last, as well as hygiene items, winter apparel, shoes and haircut vouchers. The people at ProVia understand that preparing for a student’s school year can be challenging and stressful, and we want to come alongside families to equip students for success.”

Prepare for Success began several years ago when the company’s ProVia Leads leadership-development class for employees was tasked with creating a community-outreach project. According to Breehl, the class members saw the need in the community for getting kids ready for the new school year, and Prepare for Success was born.

“The event became such a big success that we felt it would be great to continue it,” Breehl said.

Not only can families stop in at the Strasburg facility to shop for school supplies, but also they can receive a backpack and a voucher to shop on ProVia’s dime at local thrift store, One TwentySeven, where they can purchase gently used clothing items. In addition, they will receive a voucher for a haircut at Great Clips at any of their Dover, Massillon or Millersburg locations.

According to Breehl, the first year they presented Prepare for Success they served nearly 400 families who came through and hand-picked supplies at the event. Last year, due to the pandemic, that number dropped, and rather than have families come in to shop, the event became a drive-thru that saw families provide event volunteers with their children’s clothing and shoe sizes, and then each student was presented with a backpack filled with school supplies.

Breehl said the staff is excited to return to the former format this year, which will see families actually come in to shop and interact. During the event there will be games and a bouncy house for the students to enjoy.

“We wanted to create a festive carnival theme where kids could really enjoy the experience,” Breehl said.

While ProVia funds a good portion of purchasing the materials and supplies needed for the event, Breehl said there were a number of area churches that volunteered to help in the process, donating supplies for students.

“We appreciate all of the area churches who truly make this a community event that is so worthwhile for area families,” Breehl said.

Families wishing to participate in the event don’t need to reserve a spot. Simply drive to the ProVia Strasburg facility at 10190 state Route 21 in Strasburg and stop and shop. One TwentySeven is located at 130 W. Third St. in Dover.

While the event is designed for students in Tuscarawas and Holmes counties, Breehl said families from neighboring counties are more than welcome to participate.

“It’s all about meeting needs and serving the children, and we don’t want anyone to feel left out,” Breehl said.

More information can be found on the Facebook page of the event at www.facebook.com/events/1191338214672174/.