Supervisor Barger Joins County’s Department of Public Social Services at Backpack Giveaway

Cars line up in front of supply tents at the drive-through backpack givaway on September 20, 2021 at Charles S. Farnsworth Park

Shelby Stephens (Public Information Assistant, DPSS) and Elizabeth Becerra (Chief of Communications & Project Manager, DPSS) hand out backpacks for low-income children on September 20, 2021

Ken Smith (volunteer, Altadena) opens boxes of water bottles to distribute at the drive-through backpack givaway on September 20, 2021

Gina and Savannah (Office of L.A. County 5th District Supervisor Kathryn Barger) distribute bags of supplies and snacks at Charles S. Farnsworth Park on September 20, 2021

Gabby Herrera (Staff Assistant to L.A. County 5th District Supervisor Kathryn Barger) hands out bags of supplies and snacks at the drive-through backpack givaway on September 20, 2021

A volunteer distributes cleaning wipes and diapers at Charles S. Farnsworth Park on September 20, 2021

Brenda Gonzalez (DPSS) distributes backpacks to a family at Charles S. Farnsworth Park on September 20, 2021

Gabby Herrera (Staff Assistant to L.A. County 5th District Supervisor Kathryn Barger) and Ken Smith (volunteer, Altadena) help out at the drive-through backpack givaway on September 20, 2021

A girl examines her new backpack at Charles S. Farnsworth Park on September 20, 2021

L.A. County Librarians Ryan Ricchio, Jennifer Gabel, and Oleg Kagan distribute new children's books at the drive-through backpack givaway on September 20, 2021

Christine Juarez (Program Administrator, Delete the Divide) distributes supplies and information at the drive-through backpack givaway on September 20, 2021

L.A. County 5th District Supervisor Kathryn Barger and Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) Director Antonia Jimenez host a drive-through backpack givaway on September 20, 2021 as a way of saying "thank you" to the community

L.A. County 5th District Supervisor Kathryn Barger and Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) Director Antonia Jimenez examine supplies at the drive-through backpack givaway on September 20, 2021

Kathryn Barger (L.A. County 5th District Supervisor) hands out supplies at Charles S. Farnsworth Park on September 20, 2021

L.A. County 5th District Supervisor Kathryn Barger speaks with Felicia Divinity (Program Administrator, Delete the Divide) as Jamel Thomas and Christine Juarez look on

Michael Sylvester (Assistant Director, DPSS) and Shelby Stephens (Public Information Assistant, DPSS) watch as volunteers distribute supplies to approximately 250 low-income households

Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) Director Antonia Jimenez and Sebastian Macias (DPSS) distribute supplies at the drive-through backpack givaway

Antonia Jimenez (Director, DPSS) hands out backpacks at a giveaway event hosted by DPSS and L.A. County 5th District Supervisor Kathryn Barger

Antonia Jimenez (Director, DPSS) hands out backpacks at a contactless backpack giveaway at Charles S. Farnsworth Park on September 20, 2021

Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger joined County Department of Public Social Services Director Antonia Jiménez and the Toy Loan team on Monday to host a backpack giveaway for low-income children, ages 5 through 17, in the Pasadena and Altadena communities.

About 300 local families received backpacks filled with rulers, pens, pencils, notebooks, calculators, erasers, and more. Over the past five years, L.A. County employees have generously donated more than 3,600 backpacks with school supplies to local children.

To practice social distancing, all items were placed into vehicles as families drove through. Staff from the L.A. County Departments of Parks and Recreation, Library, and Internal Services Department volunteered to hand out the items.

The event was held at Charles S. Farnsworth Park, 568 Mount Curve Ave., Altadena.

The DPSS Toy Loan Program is a voluntary community effort created in 1935 during the Great Depression as a free service to allow low-income children to borrow toys from a DPSS Toy Lending Library in the same manner that books are borrowed from a public library. Children who participate develop a sense of responsibility through the observance of an honor code and merit system that rewards them when toys are returned on time and undamaged.

The program currently serves 30,000 children a month at 50 centers throughout the County.

The County’s Department of Public Social Services is the largest local social services agency in the nation.

The department provides benefits and services to families and individuals, including CalFresh food and nutrition assistance; Medi-Cal health, dental and vision insurance; financial and homeless assistance for qualifying individuals through the General Relief program and for families through the CalWORKs program; In-Home Supportive Services for disabled and elderly residents, and employment and supportive services to help residents prepare for the labor market.

For more information, visit dpss.lacounty.gov