On Thursday, October 15th, 2020, at Harlem’s Drew Hamilton Houses, Friends of Public School Harlem (FPSH) distributed more than 150 kits of school supplies to at-need students.
The kits were distributed alongside backpacks and contained a range of important tools to help students excel academically.
The school supply giveaway is a part of FPSH’s larger mission to support Harlem’s public schools and students. They have distributed school supplies throughout Harlem this fall and past years. The widely attended event featured comments by District Leader Keith Lilly and Korey Wise of the “Exonerated Five”.
“Friends of Public School Harlem has been doing great work in this community,” said Lilly during the event. “Whether it’s giving out school supplies, giving out computers, giving out food, they’ve been here in this community for over a decade continuing their mission. It warms my heart and that support is helping to contribute to Harlem’s growth.”
Though the organization’s work has been a welcomed part of the community since its inception, that work has taken on new significance since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. As school districts across the country experience resource shortages due to limitations caused by the current health crisis, supplies have become increasingly difficult to obtain. Economic hardship has also made it more difficult for low-income families to afford the supplies they need to set students up for academic success.
In acknowledgment of the ongoing impact of the pandemic on education, FPSH has recently organized a number of related events aimed at lessening the burden on Harlem’s communities. This has included the distribution of over $54,000 in groceries, $30,000 in high-quality masks, and $2,000 in sterile gloves.
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