Drive to collect 20,000 backpacks & school supplies kicks off July 11th and runs through August 5th
Leaders of New York City’s real estate industry will partner with Volunteers of America-Greater New York (VOA-GNY) to help provide 20,000 backpacks filled with school supplies to needy children living in the homeless and domestic violence shelters in New York City. This year marks the 13th anniversary of VOA-GNY’s pioneering program called OPERATION BACKPACK®.
OPERATION BACKPACK® makes sure that every needy child living in New York City shelters is fully prepared when the school bell rings for the first time in September.
Starting on Monday, July 11th and running through Friday, August 5th, VOA-GNY is asking the public to purchase, fill and donate brand new, good quality backpacks and bring them to official drop locations across the City. VOA-GNY is also seeking financial donations to help fill the 10,000 empty backpacks donated by the NYC Department of Education with critically-needed, grade-specific supplies for students from pre-K through grade 12. The average cost of a filled backpack is $81 – an expense very few families in homeless shelters can afford.
Among the members of the real estate industry contributing are RXR Realty, Brookfield Properties, Cushman & Wakefield, Durst, The Ashley & The Aldyn, and W.P. Carey Inc. The industry’s contributions to the success of OPERATION BACKPACK® range from organizing backpack drives for their tenants to donating valuable in-kind services. As it has done in years past, RXR Realty is donating more than 17,000 square feet of space, which serves as a staging area for the thousands of backpacks.
VOA-GNY’s back-to-school project began as a small effort to collect school supplies for vulnerable children in homeless shelters operated by the organization. After growing exponentially – the result of public support – the program was re-branded OPERATION BACKPACK® in 2004. The program now seeks to provide a backpack and supplies to every child in a homeless shelter who needs them. Last year, a record-breaking 19,400 fully-stocked backpacks were distributed to children living in more than 150 shelters. Since the program began, it is estimated that more than 130,000 children have benefited from the program.
OPERATION BACKPACK® has also become a national model and has been replicated at VOA affiliates around the country.
Rachel Weinstein, VOA-GNY Vice President/Chief Development and Communications Officer and founder of OPERATION BACKPACK®, said, “Education is essential to breaking the devastating cycle of homelessness. But the harsh reality is that too many homeless children are at an academic disadvantage because they cannot afford even the most basic school supplies. For 13 years, OPERATION BACKPACK® has helped prepare tens of thousands of children for the start of the school year, allowing them to enter the classroom with confidence and the knowledge that someone believes in them and their ability to succeed in school.”
“The success of OPERATION BACKPACK® would not be possible without the incredible outpouring of support VOA-GNY receives from the public, from New York’s business community—including the real estate industry—and from our many community partners. VOA-GNY is committed to fulfilling every backpack request for every child in a homeless shelter who needs one, and we are counting on the continued support of our most valued partners,” Weinstein added.
It is anticipated that more than 150 companies and community groups will participate in this year’s campaign, with many new partners already signed up to support this program. Providing major financial support this year are HSBC, HarperCollins Publishers, Duane Reade/Walgreens and Agnes Varis Trust. Generous in-kind sponsors include The New York City Department of Education, FedEx andRaymour & Flanagin.
Here’s how to help:
New Yorkers are urged to purchase and fill new backpacks and bring them to official drop locations from July 11th to August 5th. Visit www.OperationBackpackNYC.org for details on Official Drop Locations and to print out a list of supplies for each grade.
Financial donations to VOA-GNY will help the charity purchase necessary items including flash drives, scientific calculators, student planners and more. Financial donations can be made at www.crowdrise.com/OperationBackpackNYC.
For a list of VOA-GNY-approved grade-specific items to fill the backpack, please click here: http://www.voa-gny.org/what-goes-in-a-backpack. Donations of products are also welcome.
VOA-GNY is seeking additional corporate sponsors. To become a financial or in-kind sponsor, please contact Rachel Weinstein at rweinstein@voa-gny.org or 212-496-4305.
ABOUT VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA-GREATER NEW YORK: Volunteers of America (VOA) has been at the forefront of social service since 1896, helping individuals and families in need across the country overcome obstacles to living safe, healthy and productive lives. Locally, tens of thousands of men, women and children in need benefit from Volunteers of America-Greater New York’s life-changing, often life-saving work, including the homeless, families affected by domestic violence, children with special needs, adults living with HIV/AIDS, behavioral health or substance use issues, veterans struggling to find their footing and the frail elderly.
