ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – With the first day of school less than a week away in Orange County, the family of T’yonna Major is stepping in to get results for students.
On Wednesday and Thursday, volunteers with The Yaya’s Dream Foundation will be donating bookbags to four different elementary schools in Orange County.
“The foundation really is about continuing her legacy and making sure that the community doesn’t forget,” said Dominic Major, T’yonna’s uncle.
Major said the nonprofit collected over 200 backpacks for the giveaway. The idea began last year after collecting dozens of bookbags for Pine Hills Elementary which was where T’yonna went to school.
“Last year, we were able to do 100 backpacks, and we only came here because this was her school so this year, we all got together and said listen there’s a greater need and we gotta reach out to more schools. This year we have 200 something backpacks with supplies in them,” Angel Grantley said.
Grantley is T’yonna’s aunt, who is also part of the foundation. She said T’yonna would have started fifth grade this year.
“She spoke about homelessness and understand why so many people are homeless, hungry, so when we discovered these things we knew right away this is how we continue her legacy,” Major said.
The supply giveaway is taking place Wednesday and Thursday at the following locations:
- Wednesday, Aug. 7, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Molly Ray Elementary
- Thursday, Aug. 8, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Hiawassee Elementary
- Thursday, Aug. 8, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Pine Hills Elementary
- Thursday, Aug. 8, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Rolling Hills Elementary
T’yonna Major was killed in February 2023 during a deadly shooting spree in Pine Hills.