EAST AURORA, N.Y. (WKBW) — A non-profit organization is working to make sure people outside of the city can make ends meet with students ready to go back to the classroom.
"A lot of people are low income, a lot of people need help," said Brittany Rogers, a mother of two with a third on the way from South Wales.
It's what the Rural Outreach Center (ROC) calls "invisible poverty."
- They support southern WNY, more than 60 zip codes
- Where they say 50,000-75,000 people are living in poverty
- Most families live on less than $45,000
- Roughly 5% live on less than $15,000
Which is why they hold a backpack and school supply giveaway annually.
"It makes me feel really good that we're able to do this, on the other hand, it breaks my heart that we have to do something like this," said Dr. Frank Cerny, Executive Director at the ROC.
"I don't know where we would be without the ROC center," said Alicia Labar of Strykersville. "It really makes you feel like you have that additional support and family you could need regardless of what you're going through."
"So excited and happy," said Peyton Drozda about going back to school.
"It's beyond stressful, the amount of things you have to do for them," said Brittany Rogers. "It honestly makes everything stress-free, because I don't have to worry about going to Target or Walmart."
Kids got lunch, back-to-school photos, clothes and a haircut, all for free.
It goes beyond today, they provide scholarships for after-school activities, growth opportunities, therapy, winter prep and more, check out their website here.
