Reston Realtor Collecting Backpacks For Annual Back-To-School Drive

RESTON, VA — Micki Moravitz, a Realtor with Century 21 New Millennium in Reston, will be celebrating her birthday on Saturday by collecting new backpacks for local children in support of Cornerstones' Annual Back-to-School Backpack Drive.

This is the fourth year Moravitz has collected backpacks for Cornerstones. Last year she collected more than 100 backpacks and hopes to collect at least 125 new backpacks on Saturday, which she'll drop off sometime next week.

Cornerstones will be accepting in-person donations of new backpacks from Monday, July 29 - Friday, Aug. 2, from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., at its main office, 11150 Sunset Hills Road, Suite 210, Reston, VA 20190.

Cornerstones has requested that only new backpacks are donated and that they adhere to the following specifications:

• High School: 19 inches by 9.5 inches (greatest need)
• Middle School: 17 inches by 9 inches
• Elementary: 15 inches by 8 inches

Special notes regarding backpack donations:

• Backpacks must be new.
• Backpacks must not have wheels. Backpacks must not have corporate logos. Manufacturers' logos are fine.

A longtime resident of Reston, Moravitz used to support Reston Interfaith, but four years ago she decided it would be a good thing to help Cornerstones, which advocates for families in need in northwestern Fairfax County.

"I kind of felt like, 'Hey, I, as an agent, need to do something for my community,'" she told Patch on Monday. "I'm helping Cornerstones, but I'm helping people in my community, too."

Last year, Moravitz collected more than 100 backpacks and hopes to collect at least 125 new backpacks this year. It's just a coincidence that Saturday is also her birthday.

People interested in donating backpacks on Saturday can do so from 10 a.m to 12 p.m., on Charterhouse Circle in front of St. Johnsbury Court and across from Dunlop Court in Reston.

As a thank you to everyone who drops off a backpack, Moravitz is providing free sweet treats from Kaye's Mini Doughnuts and free paper shredding from ProShred.

For those who wish to make a financial donation rather than donate a backpack, Moravitz is accepting checks made out to Cornerstones, which she'll drop off next week. She can also provide donation receipts by request. More information is available on the event's website.

"Cornerstones also collects supplies," Moravitz said. "I'm just focusing on the backpacks. They'll fill them and give supplies and so forth, but I'm really just focusing on the backpacks."