STORIES
FROM THE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES WE SERVE
“ I am a school librarian in Jackson Main Elementary School. I have homeless students, students in foster care, and students who just live in poverty. One of the teachers in my school saw one of my students selling her Barbie dolls on the corner of her street last year. The reason? Her apartment was overrun with mice, and her father spent $20 buying mousetraps, and her mother was crying because that $20 was to buy food for the family. And yes, this is a true story.” Deborah Gray
Supplies for Success filled the wish list for the School.
" Nadia was placed in foster care after her mother died and she was removed from her home on account of neglect. She told her social worker she was afraid to start kindergarten because she felt ashamed not having a backpack and school supplies."
Supplies for Success provided Nadia a filled backpack through her pro bono lawyer before school started.
" Lisa finally left her physically abusive husband of 17 years, when she was convinced he was going to kill her. She spent the summer anxious about how she could possibly find the money to buy her 3 kids backpacks and school supplies. She broke down and cried when a local JCC provided backpacks to all 3 of her kids in late August. "
Lisa decided to give back by volunteering at a Supplies for Success backpack assembly with her youngest daughter.
FROM OUR SPONSORS
"At Raquette Lake Camps, we love the idea that we were able to give our campers a chance to help other children…as it instills the value of charity and develops an awareness of those less fortunate. Today the boys and girls took part in Supplies for Success. As a camp we packed 800 backpacks for children in need of school supplies. Camp sisters and camp brothers came together as teams to help in the assembly line. We could not be prouder of our camp family and it was a perfect way to end an amazing summer! We can’t wait to do it again next summer!"
Owners Kathi and Ed Lapidus sponsored all the school supplies and backpacks and Supplies for Success ordered and shipped all to the camp for packing. We matched them up with the JCCA that sent a truck to camp to pickup the backpacks and distributed them to their 800 foster kids in metro NY.
"Bank Leumi packed 400 backpacks at their midtown NYC office in 2017. It was so successful and meaningful to the employees that they tripled the number to pack 1,200 backpacks in 2019."
Supplies for Success ordered all the supplies and backpacks, had them delivered and matched Bank Leumi to a local nonprofit who arranged for pickup.
"It was a fantastic event! We have put our partnership on next year's calendar for June as well. Thank you!”
Liat Reeis, Director of Community Programs & Events, My Little School TriBeCa
FROM OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS
"Upon learning Supplies for Success would supply 1,175 backpacks to 11 of their sites, "This news has filled me with so much joy! I think the work that you all do as volunteers speaks to just how large the community is – your service has rippling effects on the New York Community. This is just one example of how our partnership strengthens communities and what’s better than ensuring that young New Yorkers are well equipped for the new school year. And upon delivery: I want to thank you again for all of your support in coordinating a successful delivery of more than 1,175 backpacks. Our programs are elated and families are at ease! "
Lyneisha Dukes, Manager of Volunteer Services, The Jewish Board
"The backpacks are flying out the door and the parents and children are so grateful! "...the joyful recipients...were so excited about their beautiful new bags filled with supplies! This is the sort of donation that benefits not just our clients but also our staff--they're so happy to be able to help kids in need get off to a great start for the school year. Thank you again for having connected us to this amazing project."
Karen J. Freedman, Esq., Executive Director, Lawyers for Children www.lawyersforchildren.org