NEW YORK (PIX11) — Hundreds of families gathered at Kaiser Park on Saturday for a back-to-school celebration that offered free backpacks, school supplies, food, music and community resources.
Children lined up for supplies while families spent the afternoon together ahead of the new school year. The event brought together Coney Island Prep, the Alliance for Coney Island, the YMCA and other local community organizations.
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For Aurora Royster, a mother of five, the giveaway offered meaningful financial relief.
“It saves me a lot of money,” Royster said.
Royster said back-to-school shopping can quickly become expensive for a large family, especially without much outside help.
“It’s a lot of money, it’s really difficult, having all of these kids and no help,” Royster said. “The community is helping. Providing the things we need so it saves a lot of money in my pocket.”
Organizers said the event was designed to offer more than notebooks and pencils. Families also had access to resources connected to food, literacy, and health.
Twenty community-based organizations worked together to help families prepare for the start of the school year.
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“We want to make sure that we are being well-rounded around our family’s experience, living in America right now, living in New York right now,” said Kadidiattou Ouedraogo, a director of student recruitment at Coney Island Prep. “And making sure that they feel fully prepped and successful. Not just for the school year, but just for life.”
More than 750 backpacks were distributed to students from pre-K through 12th grade.
“Its important for us to show up for our community the way our community shows up for us,” Ouedraogo said.
The next backpack giveaway is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 20 at noon at Kaiser Park.