Local School Supply Collection Helps Those in Need

School supplies are being collected throughout the month of August for children who are in need through the office of Legis. Lynne Nowick.

Supplies such as notebooks, glue sticks, crayons, pens, erasers, rulers and index cards can be dropped off at her office at 59 Landing Avenue in Smithtown between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. during August. Supplies that are collected will benefit children throughout Suffolk County.

Some supplies collected have already been put to use through a program called Backpack Pirates Day, a program for children who are living in shelters.

Ken Mangan, board member of the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless and founder of the event said 500 shelter children were taken by boat to Fire Island for a day of fun.

“Many of these children have never been to the ocean and a larger percentage has never been on a boat,” Mangan said.

In addition to a backpack full of supplies, the day includes a candy store where kids go into a tent and collect a bag of candy, musical performances by local groups and a treasure hunt.

“Then I get serious,” Mangan said. “I give them their backpack brimming with all their school supplies and tell them I expect them to do well in school. They sign a contract saying they will pay attention to their teachers and honor their parents.”

For more information call Legislator Nowick’s office at 854-3900.