Brooklyn Non-Profits Team Up For Back-To-School Supply Drive

BROOKLYN, NY — Brand new backpacks, notebooks, glue sticks and looseleaf paper are just a few of the items that Destiny Helpers Outreach, a nonprofit organization, is requesting for a Brooklyn Back 2 School Drive.

The Canarsie nonprofit has teamed up with organizations in Fort Greene, Bed-Stuy, Flatbush and other areas to continue helping at-risk youth with the drive, going from now until Sunday.

Typically, the nonprofit serves Brownsville, but Destiny Helpers has decided to help other underserved communities this year as the area has several school drives, according to TrudyAnn Williams, the founder of the organization.

“This is something that we do on a yearly basis,” said Williams, who has also been the CEO of Destiny Helpers since 2019. “We serve at-risk youth and families in underserved communities and provide them with education and training needs.”

Throughout the year, Destiny Helpers also provides recreational programs to help improve the lives of the people it serves.

“We just love to serve our communities,” Williams added.

FAB Fulton, a Clinton Hill nonprofit, which represents business and property owners along Fulton Street is helping to promote the drive, and community partners Black Voices Matter, Brooklyn Peoples March, Riders for Black Lives and Drip Beverage Lounge are also participating in the drive.

Drip Beverage, located at 830 Rogers Ave. in the Little Caribbean section of East Flatbush, is collecting schools supplies, which also include geometry sets, highlighters, scientific calculators, rulers, ballpoint pens and mechanical pencils, weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on the weekend from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

A second drive will be at Washington Square Park on Friday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Another drive will be held at Grand Army Plaza, which is situated between Park Slope and Prospect Hills, will collect items from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday.

A fourth drive will be at Fort Greene Park, also on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The last school drive will be in Bed-Stuy at the Marcy Houses, located at 111-113 Norstrand Ave., from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Number two pencils, two-inch three ring binders, erasers, scissors, crayons, hand sanitizers and face masks were the other items on the list requested for the back to school drive.