Back-to-school season is fast approaching, and that means new marble notebooks, three-ring binders and boxes of colored pencils are hitting the shelves in stores all across the country. Nassau County Legislator Ellen W. Birnbaum sponsored a back-to-school supply drive to help elementary-school students without the means to acquire those things for themselves hit the ground running on their first day back.
The supply drive, which called for new or unused backpacks, notebooks, No. 2 pencils, colored pencils, colored markers, crayons and glue sticks, is being run in partnership with the Manhasset-Lakeville Water-Fire District. Donations were dropped off from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. from Aug. 12 to 27 on weekdays at the Manhasset Lakeville Water-Fire District office at 170 East Shore Rd., the main branch of the Great Neck Library at 159 Bayview Ave. and the Parkville Branch of the Great Neck Library at 10 Campbell St. All three locations accepted donations until Aug. 27.
Birnbaum encouraged people to come out and donate supplies to the drive-in order to provide for children who need new supplies for the 2019-20 school year.
“I am proud to once again partner with the Manhasset-Lakeville Water-Fire District to sponsor this school supply drive,” Birnbaum said. “We can all do our part to ensure every student is prepared to thrive in the new school year.”
This year’s back-to-school supply drive marks the sixth time Birnbaum and the district have worked together to muster a stockpile of academically-useful items for students who need them in the area, the first time coming back in 2014.
Representatives for the legislator did not have specific numbers for how many supplies were collected this year, but said that there have been “dozens” of individual donations between the three drop-off locations.
Donated supplies were picked up on a first-come, first-served basis from 6 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 28 at the Manhasset-Lakeville Fire Department located behind Macy’s at 2 Community Dr. East, Manhasset, NY 11030.
Birnbaum feels that, with the help of the fire district as her partner, the supply drive “will be able to reach more members of our generous community and make this year’s efforts more impactful than ever.” Her positive expectations mirror the hope the parents and children of the community also share for the impact of the supply drive.
Students in the Great Neck School District will head back to school starting Wednesday, Sept. 4.
Sara Jhong is a Great Neck alum currently studying journalism in college.
