For many, back-to-school time conjures fond memories of a new box of crayons and an awesome Trapper Keeper, buying your first scientific calculator, or even family trips to the store where you got to fill a shopping cart with items checked off of your school supply list. But for many, back-to-school time isn’t as carefree. For the approximately 23,000 homeless children in New York City, preparation to go back to school is stressful. They know that without access to the right school supplies, a successful year can be challenging.
No one understands this better than the incredible non-profit organization Coalition for the Homeless, which offers services and advocacy for New York’s homeless population. To help ensure a solid education for as many of our city’s students as possible, the Coalition for the Homeless started Project: Back to School. In the seven years since its inception, this program has donated thousands and thousand of backpacks filled with school supplies to New York’s homeless youth in time for each new school year.
A few weeks ago, I joined other volunteers from NAPO New York and spent a morning helping the CFH get organized for this year’s Project. We sorted school supplies, unpacked new backpacks, sifted through donations, and set up one stellar assembly line so that over three thousand backpacks could be filled. During this process, I learned that this amazing program uses unique school supply lists for young and older elementary, middle school and high school students. Only the best quality supplies are used. Anything not deemed of appropriate condition for the students is used in one of the CFH’s many other programs, or in their corporate office. Nothing goes to waste.
I am proud to have contributed to the education of our youth. As you clean out your family’s supply closet during this back-to-school season or shop for your own children, think about what you can contribute. Help your family get an organized start to this school year while you help children in need get off to a successful one. See below for how and what to contribute:
HOW: Where to Donate
Ship: You can send supplies directly to 129 Fulton Street, New York, NY 10038
Drop Off: For anyone in Manhattan, all you have to do is gather your supplies, and drop them off at:
- ANY Manhattan Mini Storage location
- The JCC, located at 334 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10023. M-TH: 5:30am-11pm, F: 5:30am-10pm, S-Su: 7am-10pm
For any other borough, click here to see all of your drop-off locations.
WHAT: Items on Their Wish List
- Backpacks
- #2 Pencils
- Pencil Cases
- Erasers
- Crayons
- Washable Markers
- Elmer’s Glue
- Coloring Paper
- Pencil Sharpeners
- Glue Sticks
- 1” Binders
- Pocket Folders
- Rulers
- Scientific Calculators
- Composition and Spiral Notebooks
- Safety Scissors
Wishing you all a happy, organized and successful back-to-school season!