By Scierra Bratton
CLASSROOM CENTRAL
Classroom Central partnered with the Charlotte Hornets at its Community Corner on Saturday, February 21 during the Oklahoma City Thunder game. Classroom Central equips students living in poverty to effectively learn by collecting and distributing free school supplies. The organization benefits students in our region, operating in six school districts and supporting more than 200 schools and more than 100,000 students. Classroom Central has distributed more than $42 million in school supplies since its inception in 2002. Educators tell Classroom Central that second semester is as important, if not more important, for students to be prepared with the right school supplies. With an average of 64% of students not being able to afford basic school supplies, Classroom Central’s work is critical in our region. To learn more, visit https://www.classroomcentral.org.
ARTS & SCIENCE COUNCIL 
The Arts & Science Council (ASC) partnered with the Charlotte Hornets at the Community Corner on Tuesday, March 3 during the Los Angeles Lakers game. ASC provided information about www.charlottecultureguide.com, highlighting upcoming cultural events and materials in an effort to build appreciation, participation and support for the arts, sciences, history and heritage in Charlotte-Mecklenburg. Fans who have attended Hornets games at Time Warner Cable® Arena have experienced the work of ASC. As the public art agent for the city and the county, ASC oversees the process for the public artwork inside the arena and outdoors along the plaza. ASC’s work extends to the entire community including providing grants to cultural organizations from Children’s Theatre of Charlotte to Discovery Place to help keep their doors open to serve the community. ASC’s efforts also provide cultural programming in neighborhoods and towns throughout Mecklenburg County as well as curriculum-based field trips for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ third and fifth grade students. ASC also assists individual artists with support through grants and programs like ArtPop, which places the work of local artists on available billboards in the region, thanks to a partnership with Adams Outdoor Advertising. For more information on ASC, visit www.artsandscience.org.
BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS
The Boys & Girls Clubs will be at the Hornets Community Corner tonight during the Toronto Raptors game. The Boys & Girls Clubs is a division of the Salvation Army of Greater Charlotte and was founded locally in 1935 on North Poplar Street. Today, eight clubs serve 2,100 school-age children through academic, recreation, arts, character, leadership, health and life skills programs. The clubs are located in diverse neighborhoods from Charlotte Housing Authority sites to the nation’s only club in a homeless shelter. Boys & Girls Clubs volunteers will be spreading awareness about what the Salvation Army Boys & Girls Clubs do in our community. Fans will have the opportunity to sign up to volunteer at one of the Boys & Girls Clubs clubhouses and parents will learn how to apply for their children to attend the Boys & Girls Club in their neighborhood for just $5 a year. For further details, visit www.salvationarmycarolinas.org.