Over $1M donated to support students across West Virginia

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WOWK) — A statewide initiative to support students will expand this year with more than $1 million in donations.

The goal of the initiative is to help every public school in West Virginia supply items such as food, clothing, shoes, coats and hygiene products to students in need.

The program is known as “Keep the Ball Rolling,” and was originally launched by the Ball Family with L&S Toyota. The program will now partner with the Pack Family Foundation and the Wing 2 Wing Foundation to reach all 55 of West Virginia’s counties.

Each public school will receive $1,500 beginning the week of Oct. 27 to create virtual pantries for students facing hardship.

“The students are our future so anything we can do to help them have a better experience to be more successful in school is gonna help all of us down the road because they are absolutely our future,” West Virginia State Treasure Larry  Pack said on behalf of the Pack Family Foundation. “But it’s also about bringing awareness and trying to get other community leaders to help these schools. We’re creating a vehicle for them to do that, so we hope the program grows. We hope we can have a big impact on students all across West Virginia.”

Pack is involved in the program through the Pack Family Foundation, and not through his official role as West Virginia State Treasurer.

Leaders of the initiative also emphasize an increase in child abuse and neglect across the state. They say the program serves not only as a resource for essentials but also as a way to bring attention to children suffering through critical issues.

Events will be held across the state during the week of Oct. 27, with appearances in Huntington, Charleston, Beckley and Wheeling.