For an even greater number of local families than last year, the name C. Faye Tillery will be associated with a helping hand.

The C. Faye Tillery second annual Family and Friends Back to School Giveaway featured an expansion in offerings to families and children in need of the essentials heading into the school year.

Between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Aug. 8 at the Robert W. Harrell Jr. Physical Health and Education Center on Bank Street, 212 young people enjoyed the benefits of the event.

“I thought it was a great success, and everyone that was there that volunteered agreed that these kids were probably more grateful than anything,” said Vonda Holman-Carter, who helped organized the giveaway. “I’ve never seen kids so grateful just to get a book bag or a free lunch or a new outfit. They were happy, and the parents were appreciative, too.”

Suffolk’s Lynn Myrick brought three grandchildren to the giveaway.

“It’s wonderful,” she said of the event. “We picked up pencils, crayons, rulers, glue, everything, everything. They’ve got everything.”

Verjena Jones of Suffolk expressed similar sentiments as her two grandchildren stood next to her with book bags full of supplies.

“This event means everything, not just to me, but to the community, to the children, to the parents, to the church, to everyone,” she said. “Thank God for this, that they’re able to do it.”

The Back to School Giveaway was spearheaded by the family of Faye Tillery, a beloved Suffolk Parks and Recreation employee and also someone who served actively in the community. She passed away about 15 years ago from cervical cancer at the age of 37.

Her brother, Leeotis Tillery, was among the family members present on Aug. 8 at the Salvation Army Gym, and he was pleased by the work being done.

“It’s great,” he said. “You can’t forget her with stuff like this going on.”

Clothing was a new addition to the list of things being given away.

Many who came out were treated to a meal consisting of a hot dog, chips, a drink and cookies.

“We provided about 240 lunches, because we gave lunches to anyone that came in—adults, children and everyone,” Holman-Carter said.

Holman-Carter, a niece of Faye Tillery, said it is family and friends that make the giveaway possible.

“Each family member basically asks their family and friends to donate at least five book bags full of supplies,” she said.

Holman-Carter said that earlier in the year in Baltimore, where she lives, “I had a reception and I invited about 10 people, and we got each person to bring a couple outfits. That’s how we ended up with the clothing.”

The clothes were all new, with the tags still on them.

She said quite a few organizations also donated supplies, including Professional Home Health Care and Jenesys Home Healthcare.

The Holland Lodge No. 256 Prince Hall Masons donated time, as well as resources. Byron Lawrence, who works for Suffolk Parks and Recreation and serves on the C. Faye Tillery Scholarship Committee, helped make this possible.

“He called me one day and just asked was there anything that his lodge could do to help,” Holman-Carter said. “And I told him sure, I was happy to hear from him. And they showed up, and they volunteered and they also donated book bags.”

Faye Tillery’s brothers and sisters sponsored the lunches, and the bread was donated from a Baltimore bakery.

Everyone’s efforts allowed the giveaway to reach 50 more young people than in 2014, when it serviced 170.

Holman-Carter is already planning further offerings for next year’s event.

“We want to be able to provide a sit-down hot meal and be able to give the kids a toiletry bag to take with them with like soap and washcloths, deodorant, lotion, those kind of things,” she said. “We’ll start campaigning a little earlier for next year.”