On Saturday, the DC Parks and Recreation Department hosted a back-to-school backpack raffle at the Brentwood Recreation Center in Northeast. They also paid tribute to a lost leader and friend from their ranks.
L-R: Lonnie Duren and Cordell Duren. They are standing in front of a banner with pictures of Ricardo and others.
Liz Anderson / WTOP
In addition to the backpack raffle, there was also fun and games for the younger attendees.
Liz Anderson / WTOP
Parents found financial solution to inflation pains at Ricardo Duren Backpack Raffle held in Northeast DC (Liz Anderson/WTOP)
WTOP/Liz Anderson
In addition to the backpack raffle, there was also fun and games for the younger attendees.
Liz Anderson / WTOP
In addition to the backpack raffle, there was also fun and games for the younger attendees.
Liz Anderson / WTOP
Lonnie Duren honors his nephew, Ricardo Duren, in the event that bears his name.
Liz Anderson / WTOP
On Saturday, the DC Parks and Recreation Department hosted a back-to-school backpack giveaway at Brentwood Northeast Recreation Center. They also paid tribute to a lost leader and friend from their ranks.
In the Ricardo Duren backpack raffle, parents in the district found a financial solution to ease the pain inflation has put in their pockets. The event was one of many that are part of the city’s back-to-school month celebration.
“It’ll be really helpful to get them ready for school, which starts in a couple of weeks, so [I’m] very grateful,” said Danielle, a mother who was waiting in line to get backpacks for her two children.
Saturday’s event was named after the man who had helped start the tradition.
Ricardo Duren had worked at DC Parks and Recreation until he died of a heart attack last year. The department, family and friends in the community spent this year remembering him.
“You don’t build a legacy by talking,” said Ricardo’s uncle, Lonnie Duren, who described his late nephew as an author.
Ricardo’s brother, Cordell, felt that the best way to honor Ricardo was to continue the tradition of “stepping up.”
“I just try to live off his legacy because he loved to give back to the community and help kids,” Cordell said. “Once he passed away, I stepped up and said, ‘Well, I’m going to start giving more to the community because now all the kids need love.’
In addition to the backpack giveaway, Ricardo has also worked with the department’s Itinerant Leaders division, which aims to prevent violence among the city’s youth.
“This was her baby, this was her creation. She led this backpack giveaway in this community for 15 years,” said Danielle Hunter, Roving Leaders manager.
There is online registration, but limited supplies mean backpacks are first come, first served. The packages are organized into four different grade blocks: Pre-K, K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and grades 9-12.
There will be another event, the Roving Leader Backpack Giveaway, on August 27th from 11am to 2pm at the Kennedy Recreation Center Northwest.
Like WTOP on Facebook and follow WTOP on Twitter and Instagram to engage in a conversation about this article and others.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2022 WTOP. All rights reserved. This website is not intended for users located in the European Economic Area.
Last weekend, I wrote about Warren Mosler's argument that the Fed's rate hikes could be…
Last weekend, I he wrote on Warren Mosler's argument that the Fed's rate hikes could…
Last week, the chairman of the Fed, Jerome Powell said, "the disinflationary process has begun".…
Earlier this week, I joined Romaine Bostick and Scarlet Fu Bloomberg TV. The Congressional Budget…
Tomorrow morning, I'll be joining CNBC's Squawk Box to talk about a new effort tax…
Former Vice President Mike Pence talks about privatizing Social Security. The remarks came Thursday before…