NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – With the start of school less than two weeks away, organizers of a back-to-school festival want to make sure students and parents are prepared for the first full week of classes.

The 2nd Annual Love’s Healthy Start Festival presented by Tyson Foods KNOW Hunger Nashville Campaign, a back-to-school community event sponsored by Tennessee State Representative Harold Love Jr., will feature information from several local organizations including Tennessee State University, and provide supplies, resources and tips for those headed back to school. The event takes place Saturday, Aug. 2, at Hadley Park from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Called a day of free family fun, organizers say Love’s Healthy Start Fest is “a hands-on way for the community to rally around educational success, physical health and safe communities” for Nashville’s children and youth. It will include a health fair, free backpacks and school supply giveaways, free food and drinks, and a variety of live music and vocal performances by local entertainers of all ages.

According to State Representative Harold Love Jr., who is organizing the event, more than 500 children and their parents attended the festival last year and hopes this year’s event is even bigger.

“We had tremendous success last year due to the collaboration from all the participants,” said Rep. Love. “We distributed 1,000 backpacks with school supplies and will due the same this year.”

Love went onto say how important the Festival is to both school-age children and the community.

“Our students and their families need to have a great start to their school year and I believe that providing free school supplies helps,” he added. “Our families also need to get their health screenings as often as they can so that they can maintain healthy lifestyles. And finally, students and their families need to be informed about educational services that are available from both the public and private sector.”

The festival is part of the larger Children’s Sabbath/Weekend of Hope four-day event with Casey Family Programs, Children’s Defense Fund, and the Urban League of Middle Tennessee. A Weekend of Hope is a weekend of activities carried out by houses of worship, interfaith partnerships, civic organizations, philanthropic entities or community organizations, and the weekend includes a community dialogue, a day of service, and a day of honor and recognition. The purpose of these events is to have these organizations be a catalyst for community dialogue and action around strengthening families and making communities a safer place for families and children to live and prosper.

During the Healthy Start Festival, representatives from the TSU departments of Nursing and Dental Hygiene, including students, will conduct health screenings to include height and weight measurement, blood pressure check, glucose testing, dental screening, patient education on brushing and flossing, toothpaste and toothbrush giveaways, and coupons for free cleaning for children in the TSU Dental Hygiene Clinic.

Along with health screenings, the Center for Prevention Research will offer information on tobacco cessation, as well as the College of Agriculture, Natural and Human Sciences providing workshops and discussions on nutrition and agriculture and more.

Along with TSU, other sponsors and key collaborators in the Love’s Healthy Start Fest are Mount Carmel Baptist Church, the Urban League of Middle Tennessee, Jack and Jill of America, 3^rd with Goals, and Tyson Foods’ KNOW Hunger Nashville.

For more information call 615.741.3831.

 

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