Hundreds of students picked up their free backpack at the Back-to-School rally in New Haven on Saturday. Organized by New Haven Public Schools and 94.3 WYBC, the annual event aims to ease the financial strain on families as their children prepare for a new school year.
”I think it’s an awesome, awesome thing because a lot of people today probably can’t even afford different things for their kids for school, so this is a help to get a lot of things they need,” said Denis Cox, who was one of the first in line.
Cox told NBC Connecticut she was eager to get her grandsons, going into the second and fifth grades, a free backpack with some essential school supplies. New Haven Public Schools and 94.3 WYBC handed out a thousand of them on a first come, first serve basis. Last year, the event drew a crowd of 2500.
”We want to be able to help families and kids and the parents get ready for the upcoming school year by supplying them with some school supplies, to get them excited and ready,” explained Drew Carrano, the Director of Marketing 94.3 WYBC.
Cox said she is grateful for the generosity and the volunteers who choose to give back.
”It’s a blessing someone could help someone else out because you never know when you might need help.”
