PHOTO SUBMITTED A previous outreach event in Cloverdale.

Volunteers with the Christian organization Highways and Hedges will be at Cloverdale Apartments Saturday morning to give away bags of school supplies and play games with the residents’ children and teens.

They’ll begin at 11 a.m. at the apartment basketball court by praying over the bags then will share a short devotion with the parents and kids, said organizer Josh Wash.

More than 100 bags have been filled with notebook paper, scissors, pens, pencils, binders and other supplies for elementary, junior and high school students who live in Cloverdale Apartments, which are managed by the Brookhaven Housing Authority.

The bags are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Wash said supplies were donated by several churches for the project, and money raised by their recent VBS will be used to purchase pencil boxes to include in the bags.

After the supplies are given away, volunteers will set up a ga ga pit and a craft table and also play basketball with the children.

“We’re going to be hanging out for a few hours,” he said.

They’ll also bring snacks, water and sports drinks to share.

Highways and Hedges visits Cloverdale monthly to share the Gospel and spend time at the basketball courts with the children and teens. Volunteers are encouraged to participate and donations are always welcome, he said.

Their biggest needs are individual bags of chips and packages of cookies, bottled water, bottled sports drinks and canned sodas as well as gift cards for prizes. Wash said they prefer $10 cards for fast food to keep prizes equal. 

Volunteers are needed each month to serve as referees, grillmaster and food prep, tournament registration, cheer section to yell and applaud for the players and a tournament bracket organizer.

If anyone can donate, volunteer or have suggestions for improving the monthly basketball tournament, contact Wash at 601-757-6766.