'Backpacks To School' Drive Looks For Cortlandt Donations

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. -- Sharing Shelf of Family Services Of Westchester is holding its third annual "Backpacks to School" drive to supply families in need with backpacks and supplies for the upcoming school year.

by The Daily Voice

08/18/2013 5:00 a.m.

Sharing Shelf is looking to donate 450 backpacks filled with the grade-appropriate supplies necessary for children to use during the school year.

Sharing Shelf Program Director Deborah Blatt said in a statement that is costs about $25 to buy a new backpack and fill it with grade appropriate items.

Examples of items needed are: folders, binders, composition books, rulers, protractors, pencils, pens and erasers.

Monetary donations or donations of supplies can be mailed or dropped off at several locations including:

All Family Service of Westchester offices (click to see addresses)
The Sharing Shelf Warehouse and other drop-off sites
Temple Israel of New Rochelle (1000 Pinebrook Boulevard, New Rochelle)
Larchmont Avenue Church (60 Forest Park Avenue, Larchmont)
Best Plumbing Supply (Scarsdale, Yorktown, Somers)
Miller’s Toy Store (Mamaroneck)
PM Pediatrics (Mamaroneck)
Rye Smiles Family Dentistry (Rye)
Vision of Tomorrow (Larchmont)

Family Services of Westchester estimated in a statement that 12-percent of Westchester County children live below the poverty line and thousands more live within limited means.

Founded in 1954 and headquartered in Port Chester, FSW runs more than 50 social service and mental health programs that reach 30,000 children, teens, adults and families a year.

For additional information about the “Backpack to Schools” drive, please contact Diane Anderson, Backpack Coordinator at visiontopathways@yahoo.com or Deborah Blatt, Program Director at 914-305-5950 or thesharingshelf@fsw.org.

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