Church of the Redeemer prepares Alta Vista students with Back-to-School Bash

By Ian Swaby
| 2:25 p.m. August 11, 2025

Andre Evans, 11, his mother Heather Abling, and cousin Nyomii Knight, 9, left with backpacks for the school year.

Sarasota
Neighbors

Dentist Dave Schroeter of Schroeter Dental was glad to volunteer his services during the Aug. 9 Back-to-School Bash at Church of the Redeemer.

He says it's something especially important in Sarasota, where there is a lot of wealth, but it is also easy to overlook that there is also a lot of poverty.

He said it was a chance for underserved communities to know there was support to be found.

The church was prepared for a turnout of 190 children as it hosted the event for students of Alta Vista Elementary School, with the intention of meeting needs including clothing, backpacks and others that the school cannot.

The school receives Title I funding, meaning that 40% or more of students are from low-income households.

Redeemer Director of Youth & Outreach Ministries Jackie Overton, who organized the event with Chair Meredith Piazza, said the church worked closely with Alta Vista Elementary to find out what offerings were needed.

Across the variety of volunteer-managed stations, students could find free items and services, some of which included uniforms customized with the school's logo, socks, backpacks, underwear, hygiene items, and, courtesy of Holiday House SRQ, sneakers that were pre-ordered in the correct sizes.

Other offerings included haircuts, vision exams and dental checkups, fresh food available for pickup, back-to-school family photos and a Walmart gift card provided to each family.

Numerous community partners were involved, including businesses, organizations and the Sarasota County Fire Department and Sarasota Police Department.

Earlier in the summer, the church had also supported a school supply drive for Alta Vista students who would attend the event, partnering with School Tool Box.

Andrea Williams, who attended with her children Martin McGough and Kenya Jones, who are both eight, noted the "haircuts, eye exams, all of it."

"It helps a lot, especially for those who can't afford it," she said. "It helps, really, and I appreciate everything."

Families had the chance to gather for a Back-to-School portrait. Front row: Liam Deanda, 5, Sophia Cruz, 8, Kalani Herrera, 5, Layla Cruz, 5 and Sissy Herrera, 3. Back rows: Carmen Deanda, Mario Colin, 11, Esmeralda Guzman, 15, Patty Guzman, Chris Guzman, 15, Sol Guzman and Kevin Colin, 17.

Volunteers Melissa Kubisiak and her husband Jason Kubisiak distributed backpacks to students.

Clothes are set out on the table for students.

Dentist Dave Schroeter offered free dental checkups.

Dentist Dave Schroeter greets Myleah Roman, 7.

Ny'Davian Thomas, 9, receives a haircut.

Lucy Mangum, 13, and Carolina Piazza, 13, make cotton candy.

Jenny White draws a sign on the pavement.

Antonio Leal-Olmedo, Maria Homez and Edwin Mosquera were among the volunteers.

Yasmin Sabrina, who is entering kindergarten, enjoys cotton candy with Rosa Soares.

Officers including Will Garcia and Dan Stevens showcased the Sarasota Police Department's SWAT vehicle, one of the emergency services vehicles on display.

author

Ian Swaby

Ian Swaby is the Sarasota neighbors writer for the Observer. Ian is a Florida State University graduate of Editing, Writing, and Media and previously worked in the publishing industry in the Cayman Islands.