Thursday, August 10, 2023
9:00 am – 11:00 am

Salvation Army-Harlem Temple Corps Community Center
540 Lenox Avenue in Manhattan

Volunteers will pack backpacks with school essentials to kick off the fourth annual Stand with Students campaign for kids and schools in need.

New York Cares, in partnership with the Salvation Army Greater New York Division, will host a back-to-school event where more than 400 volunteers will fill nearly 14,000 backpacks with essential school supplies to help prepare New York City public school students for the upcoming school year on Thursday, August 10, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at The Salvation Army-Harlem Temple Corps Community Center, located at 540 Lenox Avenue, between West 137th St. and West 138th St. in Manhattan.

Sapreet K. Saluja, Executive Director at New York Cares, Arlene Lozano, Chief Program Officer at New York Cares and Jennifer Groff, Corporate & Community Engagement Director, Salvation Army Greater New York Division will be available for media interviews. Spanish-speaking interviews are available.

Volunteers will stuff backpacks with supplies that will be useful to families and students as they prepare for the new school year. All backpacks will include scissors, markers, pencils, glue sticks, folders, crayons. erasers, and other school supply items. The assembled backpacks will be delivered to schools and community partners in-need across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx.

This volunteer program kicks off New York Cares’ fourth annual Stand with Students campaign, an initiative that highlights the organization’s support of New York City students and schools during the 2023-2024 academic year. Programs supported by donations to Stand with Students include academic tutoring sessions, school revitalization projects, social emotional learning programs and book distributions. The fundraising efforts will focus on areas disproportionately affected by food insecurity and financial hardship in neighborhoods such as Harlem, Central Queens, East Brooklyn, and the South Bronx. This year’s campaign goal is $525,000.

New York Cares manages hundreds of year-round projects in elementary schools, assisting students with homework, math, reading and fitness goals. In 2022, New York Cares served 45,000 children across in-person and virtual programs, distributed 10,000 coats to NYC Community Schools and provided 16,000 backpacks to students.