The event supports the nonprofit’s annual Operation Backpack® campaign.
NEW YORK – For the second year in a row, Volunteers of America-Greater New York (VOA-GNY) and Westfield World Trade Center are partnering for a backpack drive in support of Operation Backpack®, VOA-GNY’s annual initiative that provides tens of thousands of children living in a New York City homeless or domestic violence shelter with a new backpack and school supplies.
During the six-day event, the public is invited to drop off new, empty backpacks for students of all ages at the Shops at the Oculus. The backpacks will be filled with grade-specific school supplies and distributed to students living in New York City homeless and domestic violence shelters before the beginning of the upcoming school year.
“We are thrilled to once again be partnering with Westfield World Trade Center as part of our annual Operation Backpack® campaign,” said Ericia Antoine, Assistant Vice President of Corporate Engagement and Special Events at Volunteers of America-Greater New York. “The results of this backpack drive will help us provide as many students as possible with the tools they need to succeed in the classroom and beyond.”
The drive is part of VOA-GNY’s signature Operation Backpack® campaign, which has become the largest back-to-school drive in New York City. In the two decades since its founding, more than 270,000 children experiencing homelessness have received backpacks and school supplies through Operation Backpack®. This year’s campaign comes at a time when family homelessness is rising dramatically in New York City, gravely impacting children’s ability to succeed in school and break the cycle of poverty.
To learn more or get involved, please visit: https://www.voa-gny.org/operation-backpack/
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About Volunteers of America-Greater New York
Volunteers of America-Greater New York (VOA-GNY) is an anti-poverty organization with a rich 128-year history of serving its neighbors in need. The organization’s vision is fueled by its experience as a leading provider of services to families and individuals experiencing homelessness in the greater New York area. Through 70+ programs located in New York City, Northern New Jersey, and Westchester County—including emergency shelters, transitional housing, and permanent supportive housing—VOA-GNY delivers services to more than 12,000 adults and children annually. It is also the largest provider of residential services for veterans within a coalition that has virtually ended chronic homelessness for veterans in New York City. For more information, visit www.voa-gny.org.