The UNLV Center for Academic Enrichment and Outreach (CAEO) is sponsoring ACAEO GEARS UP to Give Back to the Community,@ Friday (May 30) from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Andre Agassi Boys and Girls Club, 800 North Martin Luther King Blvd.

Low-income adults and children who attend the giveaway will each receive a free pre-packaged bundle to include grooming, hygiene, and personal care products; books; instructional supplies; and a host of other items. CAEO staff and volunteer workers will be on hand to assist with distribution.

AAlthough our major focus is to provide assistance with academic pursuits, we are excited about this opportunity to provide these personal care and educational products for families in need,@ said Tracy B. Cotton, CAEO executive director.

Giveaway items were donated to CAEO by a number of corporate sponsors, including Toys R Us, Gillette, Oral-B, Avon, Este Lauder, Clinique, Nordstrom, and Gifts In Kind. Wells Fargo Bank also provided 150 tickets to a Las Vegas 51s baseball game.

Gaining Early Awareness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) serves nearly 6,000 students in the sixth and seventh grades at Orr, Cashman, Roy Martin, J. D. Smith, Jim Bridger and Charles I. West middle schools B schools that have the highest percentage of disadvantaged students in the Clark County School District. Through companion Educational Opportunity Center grants, CAEO also extends services to parents.

CAEO provides traditional and alternative educational opportunities to the community through advising, counseling, assistance with admissions and financial aid applications, career planning, placement testing, and tutoring assistance. There are a dozen programs headquartered at UNLV under the CAEO umbrella, serving students from 6th grade through post-secondary education. CAEO also provides assistance to displaced workers.