Group fills 5K backpacks with school supplies

By WABC Staff

Click here for updates on this story

    MANHATTAN, New York (WABC) — A local charity is making sure thousands of students start the school year with the supplies they need.

Volunteers with New York Cares filled 5,000 backpacks on Wednesday at a Salvation Army community center.

Each bookbag was filled with pencils, paper, scissors, erasers and other essential items kids need in the classroom.

Organizers say the backpacks are especially important this year for families hit hard by the pandemic.

“Being able to provide back-to-school essentials is critical for families,” said Chief Development Officer Jenny Goldschein. “All children were affected by COVID-19, in particular communities which were already at high-need were set back even further.”

New York Cares will deliver the backpacks to community groups and public schools in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.