Children and families in New York City were treated to a day of fun and learning last week when Campaign Zero partnered with Win NYC.
The largest provider of family shelter and supportive housing in New York City, to host a Back-to-School Block Party for over 500 children and members of their families.
The four-hour event took place on a block that is home to three Win sites: Junius, Liberty, and Stone House, which offer transitional and supportive housing. It featured over 50 volunteers from the two organizations leading games and learning activities for children and families as they prepare for the 2024-25 school year.
The day’s program was designed to help children and families build confidence, receive resources, and start the new school year with a sense of excitement and community joy.
Highlights included:
School Supply Gear-Up: Distributing packs of essential school supplies like pencils, markers, journals, and more, along with lunch boxes filled with healthy snacks and a book fair.
Arts & Crafts: Vision bags with cutouts symbolizing friendship and healthy connections, and DIY pencil cases and tote bags with iron-on stickers and paint-on designs.
STEM Learning: Interactive science experiments that explored taste buds, the properties of bubbles, and how weather works through cloud-in-a-jar activities.
Personalized Art Design: Creative henna and face painting stations that allowed children to express their individual style.
Joy Through Play: Games on the Junius playground, basketball competitions like HORSE, giant bubble-making, and chalk art.
The Back-to-School Block Party underscored Campaign Zero’s commitment to partnering with Win to transform the lives of unhoused families. Win NYC provides safe housing, critical services, and innovative programs to thousands of families across New York City, and this event marked the second year of continued collaboration between the two organizations.
“Events like these not only provide essential resources for families but create lasting memories for children and reinforce the power of community,” said DeRay Mckesson, Executive Director of Campaign Zero. “We are proud to partner with Win NYC to ensure every child has what they need to thrive this school year.”
Christine C. Quinn, President & CEO of Win NYC, added, “Our partnership with Campaign Zero makes a real difference for the families we serve. Together, we’re creating experiences that support our kids’ futures and give them the tools to succeed both in and out of the classroom.”
The event was part of Campaign Zero’s 400 Days of Action, an initiative it launched in August to commemorate the first 10 years of impact. As part of the 400 days, Campaign Zero will be hosting direct service initiatives, enhancing storytelling and community engagement, and unveiling marquee partnerships, events, data releases, and more.
The teams leading this event were:
Win NYC: Christine C. Quinn (President & Chief Executive Officer), Diana Santos (EVP, Chief Program & Strategic Advocacy Officer)
Campaign Zero: DeRay Mckesson (Executive Director), Kelly Davis (Managing Director, Advocacy & Organizing), and Jaren Longmire (Director, Strategy & Special Projects)
Win NYC is the largest provider of shelter and supportive housing for families experiencing homelessness in New York City. Through holistic solutions, safe housing, critical services, and groundbreaking programs, Win transforms the lives of thousands of families each year.
Campaign Zero is a research-driven organization started by activists to provide people with the information and tools to create a world beyond policing. Campaign Zero encourages organizers, activists, and policymakers to focus on solutions with the strongest evidence of effectiveness at reducing police violence.
Photo credit: Campaign Zero
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