QUEENS, N.Y. (PIX11) —  As the first day of school is coming right around the corner for New York City students, many parents could be struggling to make ends meet.

To alleviate the financial strain that could come with buying school supplies for kids, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, along with local officials, community boards and various businesses, are sponsoring a series of back-to-school backpack giveaway events.

 For more on what’s happening in your area, head to our homepage 

“The first step to making sure our kids are successful in the classroom is by giving them the physical supplies they need in order to thrive,” said Richards. “No matter their ZIP code or socioeconomic status, our students deserve to start school on the right foot and our parents deserve peace of mind knowing their children have everything they need come that first day.” 

There will be eight distribution events across the borough, with the first two events coming on Thursday and Friday.

Here is the complete list of distribution events scheduled:

Thursday, Aug. 13: Corona Plaza at Roosevelt Avenue and National Street

Friday, Aug. 14: Phil Rizzuto Park at 95th Avenue and 126th Street

Friday, Aug. 21: Community United Methodist Church of Jackson Heights at 81-10 35th Ave.

Saturday, Aug. 22: York College’s Health and Physical Education Building at 160-02 Liberty Ave.

Monday, Aug. 24: NYCHA Woodside Houses at Broadway and 51st Street

Saturday, Aug. 29: NYCHA Pomonok Houses at Jewel Avenue and Kissena Boulevard

Monday, Aug. 31:  NYCHA Hammel House at Rockaway Beach Boulevard and Beach 81st Street

Friday, Sept. 11: M.S. 358 at 88-08 164th St.

At each giveaway, the backpacks will be distributed while supplies last on a first-come, first-served basis.

For a student to receive a backpack, a parent or guardian must also be present.

Andrew Cruz is a digital content producer. A native New Yorker, he joined PIX11 in 2009 as a weather producer. More of his work can be found here.

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.