More than 1,500 children received much-needed supplies for the new academic year as Hope Gospel Assembly staged its 10th annual back-to-school fair on Saturday, August 11.

In addition to school supplies, which included backpacks, the church made good on its promise to award 351 scholarships, ranging from $5,000 to $25,000, to students who maintained an average of over 75 per cent.

While the church grounds in Liguanea, St Andrew, was the main venue, distribution outlets were set up at Trench Town in Kingston, and Treadways and Portmore Gospel Assembly both in St Catherine.

Children living in Lloyds, St Thomas; Midway Town and Rock in Clarendon; Lyndhurst Road and Backbush in Kingston also benefited from the back to school fair.

Rev Peter Garth, senior pastor at Hope Gospel Assembly, was pleased with the event.

“I wish to thank in a very special way General Foods Supermarket that once again came to our rescue with providing composition books so badly needed by thousands of children,” he said. “Also, Bethel Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, and National Commercial Bank for proving over 50 scholarships for primary and high school children.”

Noting that the theme of this year’s event was ‘I am not here to be average, I am here to be awesome’, Rev Garth said: “We will continue to bring hope, happiness and help to the children of Jamaica as we empower them through education.”