Caption: Lumberton Walmart Supercenter Store Manager John Hendren gives a thumbs up to a Walmart employee as employees worked Monday to move pallets of donated items into box trucks. The items were donated for use by homeless youth within the Public Schools of Robeson County.
LUMBERTON — On a cold, breezy, winter morning, Walmart Supercenter employees and Public Schools of Robeson County employees worked to warm hearts.
Donations including thousands of items of clothing and shoes were packed into box trucks on Monday at the store’s Fayetteville Road location in Lumberton. The donated items will be given to homeless students within PSRC.
So far, there are close to 200 students identified as homeless in the district.
Store manager John Hendren said he is grateful the store could invest in the community and give back, especially to students within the Public Schools of Robeson County and individuals facing homelessness.
“We’re blessed to be in a position to help out,” he said.
Some donations will be given to social workers to take back to their respective schools to serve homeless children and their families. Other donations will be placed in PSRC’s resource centers in Lumberton and Rowland to be distributed as needs arise and are identified, said Shaneitha Nance, PSRC McKinney Vento liaison.
“This donation will help to clothe so many children and families,” Nance said. “This is such a blessing.”
Nance said the donations are another way PSRC and its community partners are working to break down barriers that keep students from attending school and receiving a quality education.
Donations came after Hendren reached out to Lumber River United Way Director of Community Impact Tomeika Munn with an in-kind donation to aid the homeless population in Robeson County.
LRUW previously fundraised for PSRC children experiencing homelessness and immediately thought about them as recipients of this large donation, said Tomeika Munn, LRUW’s director of Community Impact.
“My position at LRUW allows me to connect collaborative partnerships in the community and I love it,” Munn added.
PSRC Chief Communications Officer Jessica Horne said the district is appreciative of collaborative partnerships that continue to benefit PSRC students.
“The Public Schools of Robeson County school district is grateful for community partners like Walmart Supercenter and Lumber River United Way who help us in our mission to provide our students with a quality education and resources to help them succeed in our classrooms and beyond,” Horne said.
“PSRC will continue to work with partners and community agencies to help support student learning and provide resources that ensure that education is accessible for all,” she added.