Families in HEP program get special back-to-school help

Ahead of Pinellas County students heading back to school, the Homeless Empowerment Program is trying to make a difference.

Watch full report from Blake Phillips

“This event means a lot to us each year, they help us out with supplies and things like that, such as I just recently lost my job, so it would be hard to get things like that,” says Honor Edwards, a parent who lives at HEP’s campus in Clearwater.

Edwards and dozens of families received free essentials for their kids, including backpacks, clothes, snacks, as well as haircuts and sports physicals.

“The need here is tremendous; we have a lot of families that are living paycheck to paycheck. We have about 100 kids in the shelter today that are needing access to services, so having us here in the heart of the community is really important,” says Ashley Lowry, CEO of HEP…

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