Back-to-School Book Bag & Supply Drive Aims to Help 3,000 Jersey City Students
By Jon Whiten • Aug 17th, 2010 • Category: Blog, News
On a Saturday later this month, at least 3,000 Jersey City students will receive free book bags and supplies, if a project spearheaded by two of the city’s young community leaders and political hopefuls get their wish. And with support continuing to come in from other community leaders and corporate sponsors, that goal is looking more attainable by the day, they say, although they are still looking for more support.
The back-to-school project was conceived by Rolando Lavarro and Andre Richardson, who both sought the Ward A City Council seat in 2009. For this project, they quickly received support from Hudson County freeholder Bill O’Dea and councilmen David Donnelly and Steven Fulop. They’ve also received support from Donnelly’s employer, the United Way of Hudson County, which will be matching corporate donations from corporate sponsors like Liberty Savings Credit Union and Learn It Systems, LLC.
“Jersey City youth encounter more than enough obstacles before they get to their classrooms,” Richardson says. “This is just one less burden for kids’ parents — concerns about whether school supplies will make it on working families’ tight budgets during these really hard times.”
Lavarro and Richardson say they are still looking for corporate and individual donations; to find out more, contact O’Dea’s office (201-209-0972), which is spearheading that effort. If you prefer to just cut a check, you can send one payable to United Way of Hudson County, with “2010 JC Back to School Program” on the memo line, to United Way of Hudson County, 587 Bergen Ave. Jersey City, NJ 07306.
“Yes, there are hard issues affecting young people, like gang violence, which we need to focus on, and we will,” says Lavarro. “And there are times like now when a seemingly small gesture like giving away a book bag can also make a significant positive impact to a child or to a parent who is making every dollar they earn to stretch.”
The giveaway event is slated for Saturday, August 28, from noon to 2 pm, in three locations: Audubon Park (Kennedy Boulevard & Audubon Avenue, the Hank Gallo Center (inside Lincoln Park at the playground near West Side Avenue), and Hudson County School of Technology (525 Montgomery St.).
Parents interested in receiving the free book bags and supplies for their kids should pre-register by calling O’Dea at 201-209-0972 or emailing him at wored1 (at) yahoo.com.
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Jon Whiten is the founding editor of the Jersey City Independent; he now works for a public-policy nonprofit in Trenton.
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