Ryan Snell Foundation gives out free back to school supplies

With the new school year just around the corner, citizens of Selma gathered on Aug. 9 for a back-to-school supply giveaway hosted by the Ryan Snell Foundation.

Held at The Pride of Alabama Elks Lodge, the event provided free notebooks, pencils and other essential school supplies to local students ranging from kindergarten to high school.

The Ryan G Snell Foundation was founded to honor the life and legacy of Ryan G. Snell, who tragically lost his life to gun violence. Its mission is to keep his memory alive by transforming the pain of loss into purposeful action by supporting grieving families, promoting nonviolence and fostering community healing. The foundation's work focuses on supporting individuals and families affected by grief and trauma, raising awareness about the impact of gun violence, and the creation of events that inspire hope, unity and positive change in the community. 

“Giving back does more than just meet a practical need; it communicates our foundation's heart, values, and purpose in a tangible way,” said Remonia Minor, founder of the organization and mother of Ryan Snell. “By doing events such as the supply giveaway, we are living out Ryan's legacy by helping children succeed in school and showing the community that his life continues to inspire good."

Minor said Ryan was big on education.

"It transforms his memory into action...something that gives, rather than takes from the world. It builds trust and relationships by showing the community the acts of giving and that the Ryan G. Snell foundation is here for them, not just in name, but in action," she said.

She hopes the event provides hope and relief to many families that may experience financial strain before school starts, and free supplies can be the difference between feeling prepared versus feeling left behind.

"The small act helps ripple outward, helping parents' stress levels and teacher's classroom readiness," she said. "The event also creates a positive narrative showing that gun violence leaves a painful mark, but initiatives like school supply giveaways rewrite parts of the story by replacing loss with purpose, hope, unity and generosity.”

This marks the third annual giveaway by the Ryan Snell Foundation, which has steadily grown in size and impact each year. The foundation has made youth empowerment, education and community service central pillars of its mission.