The back-to-school season brings with it a range of emotions for students and parents: excitement, anxiety, anticipation, confusion and more. For years now, The Children’s Trust Family Expo has helped children and families cope with the impending return to class with a mix of tangible supplies and resources, information and guidance on how to approach a return to school, and, finally, a fun-filled day that will stay in the minds of both kids and parents long after the start of school is a distant memory.
This year’s Family Expo provided all that and more as it attracted over 5,000 children and families who came to receive thousands of school supplies, learn about programs offered by The Children’s Trust and its providers and partners, and remind them of what the summer should be: fun and productive, with entertaining performances and valuable information being provided side by side.
The Trust held two traditional Family Expo events at Florida Memorial University in Miami Gardens on July 27 and Miami Dade College’s Kendall Campus on August 3. Additionally, the summer saw the debut of The Trust’s Family Expo Pop-Up event held at Charles Hadley Park in Liberty City on July 20. The pop-up event took place at an existing community event - the Back to School Health and Safety Fair - and served as a successful pilot program that The Trust will use to schedule other pop-ups throughout the county in the future. Over 500 individuals attended The Trust’s pop-up event.
This year's Family Expo events, which are Miami-Dade’s largest free family resource fairs, featured both indoor and outdoor activities, with balloon artists, face painting and food trucks adding to the festivities. The Trust partnered with Uber to provide free ride-sharing services, making it easier for families to attend the events.
Children and youth were also able to engage in multiple activities, including a Fun Zone with soccer and fitness activities, photo booths, arts and crafts, character shows, and much more.
For parents and caregivers, the Family Expo allowed them to connect with a wealth of resources including after-school programs and other low-cost or free services while they could also learn more about children’s nutrition, injury prevention, caring for children with special needs and more. As has happened in recent years, there were lines of parents and kids waiting to get needed vaccinations for a return to school from the UHealth Pediatric Mobile Clinic. In total, The Trust gave out over 6,600 backpacks this summer for kids in the community.
“Parents often have little time to seek resources and prepare their children for the new school year, especially when juggling work and other responsibilities. The Family Expo brings everything they need under one roof, making it easy for them to access vital information and support,” said James R. Haj, president & CEO of The Trust.
Check out photos from the Family Expo events by clicking here.