Busload of donations collected at ShineOn Oakland Day

OAKLAND — Oakland’s ShineOn Oakland Day July 27 collected a busload of donated school snacks, bringing awareness to child food insecurity and the support needed for local families through Oakland School Food Pantries.

Jillian Golden creates a Kindness Matters bookmark to leave anonymously in a favorite book at the library when she returns to school in Waterville this fall. The activity was part of Oakfest’s ShineOn Oakland Day, July 27 in Oakland. (Submitted photo)
The ShineOnCass Foundation again partnered with the town of Oakland’s summer festival, Oakfest, which featured three days of community events including an outdoor movie night, food and art vendors, local bands, a car show, triathlon and a stuff the bus event, where Oakfest attendees climbed aboard a school bus to donate snacks that will be distributed to local students in need this fall.
The ShineOnCass Foundation organizes a kindness event to both support local families and give children the experience of giving back to the community as part of ShineOn Oakland Day at Oakfest. In addition to collecting hundreds of snacks, Foundation volunteers also hosted a Kindness Matters Bookmark Project, where kids created positive messages on bookmarks to be placed anonymously in books in local libraries to help spread kindness. For information about the Kindness Matters Bookmark Project and other ShineOnCass initiatives, visit shineoncass.org.

TOP PHOTO: Volunteer Ella Ruehsen helps unload a bus full of donated ShineOnCass School Snacks at ShineOn Oakland Day. The ShineOnCass Foundation collected hundreds of individually wrapped, non-perishable snacks that will be distributed to Oakland School Food Pantries in support of children and families in need this fall. (Submitted photo)