CANARSIE, Brooklyn (PIX11) – The burden of paying for school supplies weighs heavy over many families in New York City, especially those without permanent housing. Still, homeless families are getting some help as their children head back to school.
Volunteers of America Greater New York is an anti-poverty organization with the goal of providing a backpack to every child living in a New York City homeless or domestic violence shelter.
Rochelle Heinrichs is the assistant vice president of marketing and communications.
“It’s tough living in shelters, so we do everything that we can, kind of day-to-day, to make sure that that experience is as positive as possible,” Heinrichs said.
At the event, music was played, and pizza and games were provided to make the back-to-school memories happy ones.
In addition to a backpack, all the students also took home an EduKit, which is a box full of supplies they need during the school year. It’s packed with pencils, notebooks, markers and much more.
Oliver is going into fourth grade and now that he has all his supplies and is heading into the school year prepared, he’s only thinking about two things.
“Making friends and having fun,” Oliver said.
