JERSEY SHORE – Almost 400 backpacks filled with school supplies were delivered to K-12 schools throughout the region by Fulfill.
Fulfill used to be known as the Food Banks of Monmouth and Ocean Counties, but changed its name to reflect that they handle more than just the nutritional needs of the community. Collecting school supplies and giving them out is just one example of this.
Kids in Aberdeen, Asbury Park, Brick, Eatontown, Farmingdale, Howell, Lakewood, Long Branch, Manahawkin, Neptune, Ocean, Point Pleasant, Tinton Falls, and Toms River received the backpacks filled with notebooks, paper, pencils, pens, scissors, crayons, markers, folders, lunch boxes, and more.
“Fulfill’s team asked for donations from the public based on what school districts were asking families to purchase for their children for the school year. The amount of school supplies and backpacks collected far exceeded our expectations, and we are incredibly grateful! Families who have yet to recover from the pandemic simply cannot afford the expense of what’s necessary for school while also trying to put food on the table,” said Lauren Holman, Fulfill’s Board Chair.
Pamela, a mother of two from Asbury Park, said, “It helps me, the pocketbook. Everything is so expensive with COVID. The prices went up. Thank you for the backpacks and supplies, they did need them.”
Freedom Daniels, a father from Long Branch, said, “It helps a lot because they go through all of this stuff so fast.” As his daughters unzipped their new backpacks and checked out their school supplies on their porch with smiles on their faces, he added, “It’s a beautiful thing. We appreciate it, we really do.”
Fulfill thanked individual donators as well as their corporate partners: Staples of Ocean and Shrewsbury, Nestle USA, Booskerdoo of Asbury Park, Ocean First, SHI, Athleta at the Grove, and Commvault.
A few high school students also deserve recognition for their extraordinary efforts collecting school supplies and backpacks for Fulfill: Lily Formichella, 18, a senior at Manasquan High School; Quinn Lumsden, 16, a sophomore at Rumson-Fair Haven High School; and brothers Andrew and Justin Harrison, both 15, students at Holmdel High School.
These school supplies were also distributed to children in need at the weekly Friday “Pop Your Trunk” Food Distribution at Fulfill in Neptune, at regular visits throughout the community by Fulfill’s Mobile Pantry, and by members of Fulfill’s Resource Connections Team at visits by Fulfill’s Benefits Bus. Additional backpacks are also available at Fulfill’s Satellite Office at the Monmouth Mall in Eatontown and through the Ocean Partnership for Children’s Center.
For more information, visit FulfillNJ.org.
