Back to school fairs get Bronx Children ready for another school year
As summer ended, NIDC hosted a series of lively Back to School events across the Bronx, bringing together families, community partners, and local organizations to support students as they prepared for the new school year. The days were filled with fun, food, games, giveaways and more!
5th Annual Back to School Event – Eastchester Community Gardens
The annual celebration on August 23rd brought an exciting day packed with activities to over 250 people in the community. From roller skating to bouncy houses, face painting, basketball tournaments and even more games, there was fun for everyone! Plus, there were backpack and back to school supply giveaways, care packages–and lots of food. As one parent said, “Our family had such a wonderful experience. The kids loved the roller skating–it was the highlight of their day!”
NIDC partnered with a wide range of organizations to make this day a success, including Catholic Charities Homebase, MetroPlus, Youth Justice, Rising Ground, ASPCA, Care Collab NYC, NYC Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit, Stand Up to Violence, CPR Foundation, 49th Precinct, NY State Health, Primerica, Skate Info Network, New Testament Temple Church, Inclusive Links, and Team Dawn.
PS 77 Back to School Resource Fair
As part of NIDC’s Family Support Network (FSN), this Sept 2nd event at PS 77 focused on reconnecting with families and sharing vital resources. Over a 100 adults and children were able to access the multilingual materials we distributed, including Back to School Resource Packets, 988 Mental Health hotline magnets and PTSD resources. FDNY Fire Safety and the NY Office of Human Rights also joined us to provide useful information to families.
NIDC also let parents know about FSN’s upcoming workshops for this fall. One parent shared with us how an FSN Virtual Workshop in July had helped her encourage her neurodivergent daughter and increase her confidence over the summer.
PS/MS 89 Back to School Fair
On Sept 3rd, right before the first day of school, NIDC partnered with NYS Assembly Member John Zaccaro, Jr., Catholic Charities Community Homebase, Charlie Health, Smile, Essex, Health First, and Starbucks to make this event a success. Over 250 parents and kids were able to load up on school supplies as well as resources and information to get the school year started right. There were also plenty of snacks!
Families felt empowered with the resources, were happy with the giveaways and appreciated connecting with the community. It was a great way to ensure every child is able to start the school year with confidence and a smile.
