Approximately 400 students in New York’s 36th district will start this school year with new supplies after The Office of State Senator Jamaal T. Bailey hosted a back-to-school giveaway on Saturday. 

Children from preschool to high school received backpacks, drawstring bags, folders and writing utensils.

Katian Henderson, a Bronx resident for over ten years whose children attend a local public school, believes that events of this nature benefit parents who may have otherwise felt “shame” or “guilt” seeking financial assistance. Giveaways are “important to the community,” Henderson said.

Local organizations at the event also provided a range of products and services, like access to COVID-19 boosters and flu vaccines. 

Representatives from the New York Public Library signed parents and children up for library cards and the mayor’s office and New York’s sanitation department hosted a table handing out informative pamphlets about housing and insurance alongside supplies. 

Another Williamsbridge parent, Elizabeth Douglas, often attends community events. She said that Bailey is “always doing stuff for the children.” 

This back-to-school giveaway is a staple event of the senator’s office. At the event, Bailey emphasized the importance of adequate funding for schools, a “diverse” and “inclusive” curriculum and ensuring that students have the chance to “rise from adversity.” 

Bailey has prioritized education since he entered office in 2017. In 2018, as a member of the Senate Children and Families Committee, Bailey sponsored Senate Bill S7983 which is currently under review in the state senate’s Education Committee., The bill would “ensure that all students entering high school have an opportunity to participate in the discovery program to gain access to specialized high schools in the city of New York.”