Last month, 100 Black Men of Madison hosted its 28th Annual Back to School Celebration at the Madison College Truax Campus in Madison, Wisconsin. The group distributed hundreds of backpacks filled with school supplies to area elementary and middle school students. Megan Yanny, MD, assistant professor in the Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine and an active participant in the department’s advocacy initiatives, represented the UW Health Kids Pediatrics Injury Prevention Program at the event, staffing a table full of academics-inspired giveaways for kids to add to their backpacks. The UW Health Kids Safety Center provided coloring books, chalk, crayons, and visibility lights for backpacks and bikes. Yanny also handed out information about car seats and booster seats and answered parents’ safety questions.
Since the program’s inception, the 100 Black Men of Madison has helped supply more than 40,000 backpacks to underserved students in the Madison area. The event also provides access to vaccinations, health screens, voter registration, and school registration for students and families.