Backpacks. Notebooks. Pencils and pens. A calculator.
When kids have the right school supplies, they are more likely to stay in school. But every September, children from low-income families show up for their first day without the basics.
When these supplies are out of reach for children going back to school, it creates a burden — on the child, as well as on the educator.
Not only will the child’s schoolwork and self-esteem suffer, but the teacher will feel the burden, too. More and more often, educators are struggling to provide supplies for the classroom out of their own pocket. They know that without the right supplies, children are simply not able to succeed at school.
We believe every child in our community has the right to a chance at success. And we believe no parent should have to choose between filling their child’s backpack, or their belly.
That’s why we created our Back to School Supply Drive this year. Through August and September, we worked to raise money to make sure kids in the South Bronx had the supplies they need. And thanks to generous support from our donors, the effort was a great success! We were able to distribute supplies to Bronx Early College Academy, and to Part of the Solution.
Of course, uncertainty continues for thousands of children, parents, and educators in New York City. And whether schools will be able to reopen as normal next year remains unknown. There will be plenty of work to do in the New Year, and children in our community will need our support.
But if you have kids, there’s one thing you know for sure about the year to come: back-to-school supplies seem pricier than ever. And that’s something we know how to help with.
After all, with the right tools to succeed, who knows how far those kids will go?
