Brightline Partners for School Supplies

(PRESS RELEASE)_MIAMI, Fl. (July 31, 2019) - The City of Miami, The Overtown Neighborhood Enhancement Team (N.E.T) and Brightline, in coordination with a host of other sponsors, will donate 750 backpacks filled with school supplies to residents of Overtown on Saturday, August 3 from 10:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at Dorsey Park located at 1701 NW 1st Avenue. 

Overtown families who attend the event will receive much-needed school supplies as they prepare for the start of a new school year. Backpacks will include items such as notebooks, pencils, pens, etc. Brightline teammates will be present to talk to students about how to stay safe around railroad tracks.

“The Overtown backpack giveaway has become a Brightline teammate tradition and 2019 marks the fourth year where we join our partners in a way that makes our community stronger,” said Brightline President Patrick Goddard. “We are thrilled to contribute to our community to provide students with much needed materials to start the school year off right.”

Brightline has a strong connection to the Overtown community. It’s headquarters are based in the area and it employs close to 20 percent of the teammates who work at Virgin MiamiCentral from the surrounding zip codes.  Brightline, the only privately funded intercity, express train service in the U.S. connects the communities of Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, with future planned service to Orlando. Virgin MiamiCentral, the 11-acre mobility hub where Brightline begins, is located in Overtown and downtown Miami.   

Additional sponsors to participate in the event include Office of Commissioner Keon Hardemon, 99 Jamz, Richard Hallman Foundation, Marlo’s Italian Ice, Miami Dade Public Library, Y2Y Inc., Attachables, Greater Bethel Church, Herd of Love, Nemo’s Lemonade, DJ H2, Bayside Marketplace, St. John’s CDC, and University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

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