Atascadero Police Association and partners deliver backpacks to ECHO
ECHO shelters serve 40 children nightly across two campuses
– Children at El Camino Homeless Organization shelters began the school year with new supplies, clothing, and shoes after local groups came together to support them.
The Atascadero Police Association, San Luis Obispo County Office of Education, and The Paso Sherpa partnered with ECHO to provide backpacks stocked with notebooks, pens, markers, and calculators, as well as gift cards for clothing, socks, and shoes.
“We always like to offer help to ECHO in the small ways we can, and Back to School is one of our favorite times of year,” said Kat Westcott, owner of The Paso Sherpa. “Not only is it fun to shop for the right supplies, but knowing these items will help children feel confident and succeed at school makes it exponentially better.”
ECHO operates 130 beds across its campuses in Atascadero and Paso Robles and serves an average of 40 children every night. Wendy Lewis, president and CEO of ECHO, said the donations mean more than just material support.
“These donations don’t just provide school supplies; they help restore hope and show our families that the community is behind them,” Lewis said.
ECHO was founded in 2001 and provides food, shelter and supportive services across San Luis Obispo County. Its programs include a 60-bed shelter in Atascadero, a 70-bed shelter in Paso Robles, a daily community dinner program and a shower program for individuals and families.
For more information, visit www.echoshelter.org.
