This year, the Vicksburg Housing Authority is helping the community by giving away free school supplies to families.

The supplies were handed out in paper bags provided by Home Depot representative, Doug Cowart. Representatives from the VHA buy paint from Home Depot.

“I wanted to show my appreciation for them being a customer of mine,” Cowart said.

Ben Washington, executive director of the VHA, said that every summer they have a program for the youth of the city, which is an eight-week summer enrichment program, however they were not able to do it this year because they did not have a full-time coordinator.

“The kids really enjoyed it,” Washington said.

He said that there are many outdoor activities and two field trips during the course of the program.

Last year, the children were taken to the Vicksburg National Military Park. The Housing Authority is partnered with Grace Christian Counseling Center for the children as well.

Because the VHA did not have the summer program this year, they decided to use the funds to pay for the supplies being handed out to the families

Washington said he wants to get a grant that will allow the association to hire a person who will be in charge of handling any community service project the authority participates in.

“We may add this to the annual schedule for back to school programs.”

They have applied to Resident Opportunities and Self Sufficiency, a grant that gives public housing residents support and helps them become self-sufficient by hiring a program coordinator for the housing residents.

They have applied the last two years.

“Hopefully this year we’ll get in.” Washington said.

Washington said the grant is awarded at the end of December.

He also wants to be awarded the grant so that the summer program can be started again. “Hopefully the grant will come through and we can get the program up next year.”

Each bag of supplies includes a pencil, an eraser, a pen, crayons, a binder, notebook paper, notecards and a composition book.

Carrie Shepard said this program has helped her in many ways.

“I don’t have to buy extra supplies.”

She said she would be delighted if the event to hand out free school supplies became an annual event.

Beverly Thomas, who graduated this past semester from Jackson State has had six children graduate from high school, and her daughter, Selena McGee also graduated this past semester from Alcorn State University. She said that VHA giving out these school supplies has been a blessing. “It has impacted us tremendously.”