The Children’s Village Prepares Students for a Successful Academic Year
September 2024
As the new school year begins – with many of the students in our community stepping back into classrooms this week – The Children’s Village is ensuring students are prepared for a successful academic year. And that means ensuring they have the supplies they need.
This summer, we hosted a CV School Supply Drive to encourage donations of all kinds of school supplies – securing thousands of backpacks and other items from New Yorkers. A highlight of the campaign occurred in late August, when we hosted a Family Day which featured board and video games at the Drew Hamilton Community Center in Harlem and distributed the donated goods to youths and families.
“Our recent Family Day event in Harlem was incredibly successful. We want to thank Drew Hamilton Directors, Tashana Pace, Richard Lascelles, and the entire Drew Hamilton staff and a special thank you to NYC Department of Youth and Community Development and the NYC Housing Authority for their partnership. The day was filled with opportunities to engage with our community, provide backpacks, and other items to ensure our youth are armed with the tools and supplies they need to learn and grow,” said Valerie Worthy, Program Director, Family Services at The Children’s Village.
The event drew nearly 200 youth and families, as well as New York City Councilmember Yusef Salaam and his family, and New York State Assembly candidate (and Salaam’s Chief of Staff) Jordan Wright.
Highlights of the event were a voter registration booth: attendees were able to fill out registration forms to be able to vote in this November’s general election; and, “Tiny’s Closet”, where attendees were able to select essential items, including clothes.
The Community Center plans to engage youth and families throughout the new school year with fun and hands-on educational activities, exciting cultural trips, after school activities, and programs geared toward teenagers.
Family Day event went very well, and the distribution of the Book Bags was definitely the highlight!
