Fresh Soul partners with justice group to expand free backpacks and shoes at youth basketball camp

Michael C. Brown, founder and executive director of the Spokane Eastside Reunion Association, doing business as Fresh Soul, said the organization’s long-running basketball camp provides free backpacks, school supplies and shoes for children and that an outside nonprofit has joined to help expand the program. "I give all credit to God, and we are so happy that A Way to Justice has partnered with us to help take this to another level," Brown said.

The announcement came during a public announcements segment of a Spokane meeting. Brown said the program has operated since 2000 and described the event as focused on helping children through sport and school-supply distribution. Alethia Dumas, with The Way to Justice, said her organization was "happy to be a part of this, and add to this amazing event offering free backpacks, school supplies, and shoes." She added: "We're really excited, and we look forward to just continuously impacting kids, from generation to generation."

Neither speaker provided a specific date for the next distribution event or detailed funding sources during the remarks. No formal city action or vote was announced in connection with the program during the remarks.