FAIRMONTÂ â The Marion County Family Resource Network observed Martin Luther King Jr. Day through an act of community service.
The organization took over the backpack distribution formerly organized by the nonprofit Marion County Starts Smart, and managed to give out nearly 100 bags filled with school supplies to students throughout the county Monday and this past weekend. It makes me feel like our partners communicated to people what we were doing, and we were able to make sure over 90 kids have the supplies they need, said Frank Jarman, FRN executive director. We know money is tight these days.
Teresa Wright, former president of Marion County Starts Smart, said the organization has hosted backpack donations even before Starts Smart became a nonprofit four years ago. She and the its members decided to disband as a nonprofit, but wanted to keep the backpack distribution alive through another organization. The FRN turned out to be the perfect match.