Senator Martins Thanks Uja-Federation of NY for Supplies for Success Program

Senator Jack M. Martins congratulates the UJA-Federation of NY for their efforts in collecting and distributing school supplies for those in need.  The program, Supplies of Success, is just another example of the wonderful work that the UJA-Federation of NY does.

More than 300 volunteers will be working from August 20th to August 22th to fill more than 4,500 backpacks with school supplies for children from needy families across Long Island, through UJA-Federation’s Supplies for Success program. A year-long initiative to collect supplies and cash donations culminate in this three-day volunteer effort.

Supplies for Success Give Back With a Backpack, a Long Island–wide school supply drive, is a project of UJA-Federation of New York’s Connections program. Started in 2002, the drive has grown from filling 68 backpacks in its first year to this year’s quotient of 4,500.

Over the past year, volunteers have collected new supplies and donations from individuals and businesses. Synagogues, JCCs, schools, libraries, and camps have held drives to collect supplies. Teams of volunteer shoppers maximized cash donations by purchasing pens, crayons, notebooks, and much more at sales in stores across Long Island. The entire initiative has been chaired by Mindy Richenstein, Ellen Grossman, and Karen Avrick.

Each day of the three day effort, volunteers will walk through an assembly line of pencils, notebooks, erasers, and other supplies as they fill backpacks with loads of free supplies. Volunteers work with lists to ensure that the backpacks will be stocked with age-appropriate supplies so those in kindergarten through high school are well equipped for the new school year.

The backpacks will be distributed to students throughout numerous agencies and schools.

About UJA-Federation of New York

UJA-Federation of New York, the world’s largest community-based philanthropy, raises funds that sustain the activities of more than 100 health, human-service, educational, and community-building agencies. Every day, these community-based organizations provide a multitude of services that combat poverty, help the elderly age with dignity, promote Jewish identity and renewal, strengthen children and families, and open doors to those with disabilities and special needs. With a reach that spans New York, Israel, and 60 countries around the globe, we touch the lives of 4.5 million people every year, fulfilling a mission to care for people in need, inspire a passion for Jewish life and learning, and strengthen Jewish communities. For more information, please visit www.ujafedny.org.