By Amy Batista, Special Writer
HIGHSTOWN — Rise is hosting its sixth annual Backpack Drive to provide children in need with the school supplies they need to start of school and is still seeking the community help.
"The Backpack Drive enables Rise to strengthen our community and help the working families who struggle to provide the basics for their children," said Leslie Koppel, executive director of Rise-A Community Service Partnership.
Rise still needs to collect more backpacks before the start of the school year to meet its goal.
"We have given out almost 400 and are particularly short on boy’s backpacks," Ms. Koppel said. "Families have been coming into our office every day. The kids get a huge smile when they receive their backpack. It is a big event for the entire family."
She noted they work with the school district supply lists to make sure the children have the supplies for the grade that they are entering.
"Gift cards are always welcome," she said.
Our goal was 500 which is a little over double what we did last year which was 275 but now it looks like we will need 575, she said.
"The Methodist Madness program is working in conjunction with Rise to provide their participants with a backpack," she said. " Also, many local houses of worship have taken offerings in support of the backpack drive and have directed their parishioners in need to pick up a backpack at our office."
The church has a basketball program called Methodist Madness that celebrated 20 years in the community this past summer.
"One of the aspects of this basketball outreach has become helping the children get ready for school," said Pastor Heidi Bak of the First Methodist Church. "Normally, in August all 150 kids receive sneakers and socks, as well as backpacks."
Pastor Bak noted that after speaking with the Housing Authority, the church found that many children were receiving two or three backpacks and brand new packs were being thrown in the dumpster.
"After finding out about this waste, we decided to pool our resources with Rise and the other community efforts giving out backpacks so there was not duplication, but multiplication," she said.
She noted that instead of the basketball program handing out the backpack, they awarded each child a Certificate of Participation to be redeemed at Rise.
"Now, Rise could keep a master list of all children and youth who have received a backpack, and each child receivesone," she said, adding that even if a child participated in two or three community events, they still only received one backpack.
Now the backpack would be earned, not by economics, but by participation, she added.
"The backpacks that Rise have put together and stuff with supplies are, for lack of another word, awesome," she said. "Each child who received one is supplied with the appropriate supplies for their grade level. The packs are all different colors and sizes. Truly, everybody wins with this community effort."
Ms. Koppel noted that the Backpack Drive is "crucial to area children living at or below the poverty level."
"Hard-working families struggle to make ends meet and this program gives their children the opportunity for success," Ms. Koppel said. "It is because of the generosity of our donors and supporters that hundreds of students will get a great start this year."
As of Aug. 23, Rise has received approximately 400 backpacks.
Donors include L’Oreal in Cranbury, 217 Church, Solvay in Cranbury, First Presbyterian of Hightstown, TW Metals in Monroe, First Baptist Church of Hightstown, First Methodist Church of Hightstown, Besler Consulting in Princeton, AAA MidAtlantic, Lions Club, and Mount Olivet. Multi-year contributors include Besler Consulting, L’Oreal, Solvay and AAA MidAtlantic.
John Carducci, material and logistics manager at TW Metals, noted that he went on the Internet to try to find a charity that he "felt strong about."
"To me there is nothing in the world better then kids," said Mr. Carducci. "I asked Anna (Senior Case Manager) what they were doing now and she told me about the Backpack Drive that they had and I asked the people that work with me and they were as excited as I was."
Anytime you can make a child smile and know that you made a difference even if for only a day, that should make you feel like a king, he said.
"I know it worked for me and I can’t wait to work with Leslie again," he said.
"The children go into school with confidence, sporting a new backpack packed with everything they need," Ms. Koppel said. "It helps the parents and especially the teachers to have all the students ready to go on day one. The willingness of so many businesses, residents, civic and church organizations that give to the annual Backpack Drive shows how supportive our community is of our children."
Approximately 96 children received a backpack on the last day of the Rise Summer Academic Enrichment Program.
"The kids in our summer program studied math, science, art and language all summer and so now they are ready both academically and with supplies they need to start the new school year," said Cris Ciobanu, director of Rise’s Summer Academic Enrichment Program.
The community was notified through notices on Rise’s website and Facebook page.
"Also we hang signs outside our main office on North Main Street at and in our Greater Goods Thrift Store on Rogers Avenue," she said. "In addition, we post on the Patch and on The Downtown Hightstown webpage."
Sherry Cavanaugh, Hightstown Housing Authority certification specialist, noted that the most "rewarding part about working on such projects is the impact we have on the community as a whole."
"It is always nice to have community minded people working together on such projects," said Ms. Cavanaugh. "The larger the network of people the more lives we can touch."
Rise is a great organization and has really been a welcoming home base for the backpack drive, she added.
"Without their help it would have made the task a little more difficult to accomplish, and Pastor Heidi is always a great advocate for community reach out, I find it a pleasure to help both Leslie and Pastor Heidi in any small way I can. People working together can do so much to improve our immediate community."
Donations can be dropped off at the Rise Office located at 116 North Main St. office Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (closed for lunch from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. daily) and in the Greater Goods Thrift Store located at 114 Rogers Ave. Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

