Foothill Unity Seeking Donations for Back to School Fair

Local charity is seeking monetary donations to help provide school supplies for 2,000 children returning to school in the fall.

The charitable organization holds an annual "Back to School Fair" at Santa Anita Park every year, and the event this year will take place on Aug. 18. Students from qualifying low-income families are invited to participate in the event.

The fair provides new school supplies, uniforms, backpacks, underwear, socks, gift cards for shoes and a brand-new book from Monrovia Reads.

Stylists will be on hand to give students haircuts and manicures, dental screenings will be provided by the USC School of Dentistry, and vision screenings will be performed by the Western University College of Optometry. Kids can also participate in a ceramic art project courtesy of . 

Part of the cost of the event is covered by sponsorships from local businesses but sponsorships are down this year, according to a news release written by Linda Taubenreuther of Foothill Unity.

"...This year’s sponsorships are down,  making individual donations even more critical," Taubenreuther wrote.

Foothill Unity Center welcomes donations of school supplies but prefers monetary contributions. Online donations can be made at the center's website--www.foothillunitycenter.org--which also has a list of six collection centers where supplies can be dropped off. Checks can be mailed to Foothill Unity Center, Back to School Program, 415 West Chestnut Avenue, Monrovia, California, 91016.