Free Backpacks and School Supplies for NYC Students in Every Borough
Here’s how kids can get free backpacks and school supplies in NYC!
Back-to-school season in New York City is always a mix of excitement and stress. However, this year, it’s feeling even tougher, with families stretching tight budgets to cover rising costs for backpacks, notebooks, and all the other school essentials, while trying to get everything ready in just a few short weeks! For many, even buying basic groceries and school supplies feels impossible. Nearly 40% of parents say they simply can’t afford school supplies, according to a survey by Intuit Credit Karma.
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New York Cares is one organization hoping to help. On Thursday, August 14, hundreds of volunteers will gather at the Salvation Army Harlem Temple Corps Community Center to pack 14,000 backpacks and 400 teacher kits full of the essentials, including scissors, markers, pencils, glue sticks, folders, crayons, erasers, and more.
All of these supplies will go straight into the hands of public school students and teachers all over the five boroughs. So when the first day of school comes, kids can walk into class with the notebooks, pencils, and backpacks they need, and teachers will have those extra supplies that help everyone get off to a strong start. Having the right supplies from day one can go a long way in helping students feel prepared, confident, and ready to take on the school year.
The effort is part of New York Cares’ sixth annual Stand with Students campaign, a citywide initiative that aims to raise $400,000 and provide 20,000 backpacks, along with ongoing educational programs and resource support throughout the school year.
The backpacks will be distributed through public schools and New York Cares’ community partners, from the Bronx to Staten Island. Teacher kits, packed with classroom supplies, will also be sent directly to educators who too often spend their own money to fill the gaps for their students.
The event takes place on Thursday, August 14, at the Salvation Army Harlem Temple, 540 Lenox Avenue (between West 137th Street and West 138th Street) from 9:30 am to 11:30 am.
If you’d like to help, there are various locations where you can pack bags so they are ready to go.
The New York Restoration Project Is Giving Out Free School Supplies
The New York Restoration Project will be handing out free supplies at community gardens across all five boroughs, helping families offset the high cost of back-to-school shopping while also encouraging neighbors to enjoy the gardens in their own neighborhoods.
Each event has its own local flavor. Some events even include cooking demos from local chefs, and they’re all free to attend. Here’s the full schedule:
- Saturday, August 16: Glover Street Community Garden (Castle Hill, The Bronx) in partnership with Councilmember Amanda Farías
- Sunday, August 17: 50 Cent Community Garden (Jamaica, Queens)
- Friday, August 22: Essex Street Community Garden (Cypress Hills, Brooklyn) with a cooking demo by chef Genny Mack
- Saturday, August 23: McLeod’s Community Garden (Brownsville, Brooklyn) & Los Amigos Community Garden (East Harlem, Manhattan)
- Friday, August 29: Bed-Stuy Community Garden (Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn) in partnership with Councilmember Chi Ossé
- Saturday, August 30: Target Bronx Community Garden (Highbridge, The Bronx) with a cooking demo by chef Brandy Cochrane & Creston Avenue Playground (Fordham, The Bronx)
- Sunday, August 31: Eastchester Road Community Garden (Eastchester, The Bronx) in partnership with Councilmember Kevin C. Riley
Supplies are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Children must be present to receive school supplies.
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