With the school year quickly approaching, many parents and kids will soon be flooding the stores in search of school supplies. Some families, however, will not be able to afford these supplies.
On Tuesday at 10 a.m., County Executive Robert P. Astorino will be launching “Operation Backpack,”an initiative to collect school supplies for those families in need. The event will take place at 170 E. Post Road, the office of Pass It On Kids Kloset.
He will be joined by Amanda Grant of White Plains, a Girl Scout from Greenburgh’s Troop 1936, whois working on her Silver Star Award for scouting and approached Astorino in a letter about raising supplies.
“Amanda’s idea was a great one,” said Astorino. “She saw a need and came up with a project to meet it. She is living up the highest principle of what Girl Scouting is about.”
Amanda said, “I believe education is our future, and achieving this begins with having basic tools such as school supplies. As a Girl Scout, I feel it is my responsibility to help those in need, and that is why I choose to participate in a school supply drive.”
The project, to be coordinated by the county’s Department of Socials Services, now includes other partners: Kids Kloset, Operation Prom (which collects and distributes used prom dresses) and WFAS radio.
Through this program, school supplies will be collected for children and families that receive services from the Westchester Department of Social Services. Collection bins will be located at the following locations
County Office Building, 148 Martine Avenue, 1st floor
112 East Post Road, White Plains, 5th Floor
Kids Kloset , 170 East Post Rd, White Plains (914)-831-7616
Life Cleaners, 300 Nepperhan Ave, Yonkers (914) 968-1525
Nicholas Day Spa & Salon, 203 Wolfs Lane, Pelham (914) 738-3838
Anyone wanting to make a cash or bulk donation should contact Matthew McCarrick, public administration intern with the Department of Social Services, at (914) 995-4979 or e-mail him atnqm9@westchestergov.com. You may also contact Amanda Grant a senior with the Girl Scouts of America, at(914) 573-2228 or e-mail her at atamandagrant98@yahoo.com
Each of the partners has a specific role:
The Department of Social Services will coordinate and distribute the school supplies to children and families.
Amanda Grant will work on community outreach for donations, and make sure that every back pack has the essentials for a good school year.
Noel D’Allacco, founder of Operation Prom, will use that agency’s vast contacts in the fashion world and business world to collect donations.
Pass It On Kids Kloset, a program of Westchester Jewish Community Services, will reach out to its regular donors of clothes and ask it to consider school supplies for a short period of time.
WFAS has used its airwaves to build awareness of the need for school supplies and solicit monetary donations. The station has already received donations from The Masters School in Dobbs Ferry, Blythedale Children’s Hospital in Valhalla, Julia B Fee and Sotheby’s International Realty.
“When government teams up with not-for profits here in Westchester great programs are created that help our communities at no cost to the tax payer,” Astorino said.