Women of Honor, local organizations partner to help students repack their backpacks

PERRY – Women of Honor Center, Houston County Family Connection and local organizations will be hosting a Repack the Backpack event on Saturday, Jan. 4 from 10 a.m. to noon at Rozar Park.

The event aims to help students and parents restock their school supplies for the new semester. Every year in July, Houston County Family Connection host a Back to School Bash in Warner Robins and Perry. CEO/Founder of Women of Honor Center Dianna Vining said in Perry, the event only offers supplies but not the resources like in Warner Robins.

Vining wanted to host the event in January because a lot of students have already used up the supplies they received back in July.

“I just thought it would be a great idea for us to come back together in January before they go back to school,” she said.

Not only will the event giveaway school supplies but also resources so Perry families can be aware of all the resources Houston County offers. Vining said there are many nonprofits and free services.

“That’s what Repack the Backpack is, getting those supplies, putting them back in their backpacks so they can be ready for school but also so they can see what resources that are out there can help them throughout the rest of the school year. Not just the students but also their parents,” she said.

Supplies that will be provided at the event are paper, glue sticks, crayons, pencils, composition notebooks and general items needed for all grade levels. There will also be a clothing closet provided for attendees no matter their age.  There will also be barbers on site providing free haircuts for students.

Resources include Houston County Family Connection, Houston Healthcare, 100 Black Men of Greater Warner Robins and other local organizations. According to Vining, there will be approximately 16 vendors participating in the event.

Vining said they are looking forward to seeing everyone come out to the event. She shared organizations like Houston County Family Connections, The Perry Housing Authority and Prime BabyTime, a maternal nonprofit, have donated money and school supplies to help make the event happen. New Vision MSK is also a financial partner.

Vining shared this is the very first time they will be hosting this event in January, and she is hoping it can become an annual event. She said they are very excited it came together, and they can provide this for the community.

As a parent, she remembers when she had to buy new supplies this time of year. She hopes this event will give parents one less thing to worry about, especially if they are in need. She also remembers growing up poor in Mississippi and being bullied in school. Vining hopes the event will help both parents and students feel good about themselves.

“I’ve been there where I didn’t know how I was going to get paper for my child. My husband and I both we’ve been there so we know how that feels,” she said. “That’s just something if we can do something and help a parent not have that feeling and not wonder then we’ve already been successful.”

As the founder of the Women of Honor Center, she is very passionate of the resources they provide to the community.

“It’s all about families and rebuilding their lives and making sure that they can have the best life possible them and their children,” she said.

The Women of Honor Center became a 501(c) (3) nonprofit in May 2013, started by Vining and her husband. Both saw the need people had in the community and Vining felt God wanted her to establish the center.

Their end goal is for the center to have its own building and serve as a “one stop shop” for everyone. Vining wants it to be a place for them to continue helping parents with their children, provide parenting classes, help parents fill out forms, advocate parents’ special needs, offering money management and after school programs.

In the meantime, the center has helped families throughout the year and every month they give away a $50 Kroger gift card. They also partner with other local nonprofit organizations and Elementary schools like Miller Elementary School and Westside Elementary School. Through their partnerships, they provide students with bicycles.

The center has also partnered with an organization in Macon to provide items for the homeless. Vining said they have also provided diapers and wipes for families and help them during the holidays.

The center has also provided a health event which provided people with blood pressure checks, insulin checks, talking about mental health, spiritual health and physical health.

“We try to see what we can do to help the community and then try to provide that particular thing,” she said

Vining said approximately four years ago they started an after-school program for children in kindergarten through fifth grade. The program is offered in Perry and Vining said they are trying to expand.

“We kind of have our hands on a little bit of everything because our mission is to rebuild stable, healthy families one family at a time,” she said.

Vining shared she gets caught up in trying to reach as many families as possible. However, she has learned if she can reach one family at a time, it still makes a difference. Vining said she is excited about everything God is going to do for them in the future.

She also shared they have been blessed with receiving grants which have helped them with their after-school programs and provide things for families like helping with their electric bills.

Vining believes if they can change one life, they have changed the community.

“If I can change one life of a child that changes our community in the future because that child sees someone loves them, someone cares and someone is willing to put their neck on the line for them,” she said.

Vining shared she is excited about the avenue God has taken the center. She said she does not know if the center will have a building in her lifetime, but she will do everything she can to help the community.

The center has helped Houston County and surrounding counties, including Peach County and Bibb County. Vining shared although they don’t have much money, she will still help those who are in need.

She believes 2025 will be the year they will achieve greater things. Vining said everything they do is free and from the heart. She shared she is grateful for her board and partners.

Vining hopes the Repack the Backpack event will help students and parents not be concerned about supplies. She also hopes it will be an opportunity for attendees to see the other resources Houston County and surrounding areas offer to help them in other areas in their lives.

“Also, I’m really believing that this event will let the people know that people care. That the world is not so hard and so heartless that no one cares. Not only will they know that people care but they’ll be able to know who to reach out to get them the things they need,” she said.

Vining said the event is about everyone coming together and making their community better.

“I don’t think anyone that’s coming to this event as far as the vendors is trying to make a name for themselves. What we’re trying to do is make our community better,” she said. “That’s why it doesn’t matter whose name is in the limelight or who’s sponsoring it, what matters is that we can come together as one and make a difference in our community.”

Repack your Backpack event will be on Saturday Jan. 4 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. or while supplies last. Rozar Park is located at 1060 Keith Drive, Perry.