Schools

How to Donate to Operation Backpack 2013

You can help the neediest kids in Westchester County start the new school year with the right supplies.

Written by Lanning Taliaferro

Operation Backpack is swinging into action for the second year. 

The project started in 2012 when a local Girl Scout wrote to Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino.

Amanda Grant of White Plains, a Girl Scout from Greenburgh’s Troop 1936, reached out about the need for low-income families to have adequate school supplies for their children. The young scout said back then that "education is our future, and achieving this begins with having basic tools such as school supplies. As a Girl Scout, I feel it is my responsibility to help those in need, and that is why I choose to participate in a school supply drive.”

Operation Backpack will collect school supplies for children and families served by the Westchester Department of Social Services.

The goal, said Astorino in a press release calling for donations, is to surpass last year when donations were received to fill more than 1,000 backpacks.

The program is spearheaded by the county Department of Social Services, but there are many partners. They are:  Operation Prom, Sharing Shelf, WFAS, Kids Klosest and State Farm.  

“I got involved last year and this year I have recruited some of my fellow agents to help as well," said State Farm agent Lisa Vitiello.

There's one collection point in northern Westchester, and many in central and southern Westchester:

GOVERNMENT OFFICES

Find out what's happening in Pelhamwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Westchester County Michaelian Office Building

148 Martine Avenue, White Plains

Find out what's happening in Pelhamwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

(914) 995-210


Dept. of Social Services (DSS) Central Office

112 East Post Road, White Plains

(914) 995-5000


Mount Vernon District Office (DSS)

100 East First St, Mount Vernon

(914) 813-6164


Peekskill District Office (DSS)

750 Washington St., Peekskill

(914) 862-5078


White Plains District Office (DSS)

85 Court St., White Plains

(914) 995-5889


Yonkers District Office  (DSS)

31 Warburton Av. Yonkers

(914) 231-2653


NON PROFITS

Sharing Shelf

47 Purdy Ave. Port Chester

(914) 305-9550


Kid’s Kloset

845 N. Broadway, White Plains

(914) 522-2812


BUSINESSES

WFAS

365 Secor Road, Hartsdale

(914) 693-2400


State Farm Offices & Contacts

Lisa Vitiello

282 White Plains Road, Eastchester 

(914) 337-4810


John O'Brien

2016 Central Park Ave, Yonkers

(914) 793-5100


Bob Weber

626 North Ave., New Rochelle

(914) 712-3000


Mark Link

111 Fifth Ave., Pelham

(914) 712-3680


Vivian Lem

590 Central Park Ave, Scarsdale

(914) 725-5000


Delores Clemons

CLU, ChFC

562 Kimball Ave., Yonkers

(914) 663-6688


Tom Broderick

211 Main St., New Rochelle

(914) 632-6000


Mike Lanza

761 Yonkers Ave., Yonkers

(914) 476-2287


Gene A Lanza

761 Yonkers Ave., Yonkers

(914) 476-2287


Tamara Lanza

18 Halstead Ave., Harrison

(914) 835-6000


Edgar Almanzar

477 Central Ave., White Plains

(914) 358-9712


Kathy Davidoff

239 North Broadway, Sleepy Hollow

(914) 524-9535



Questions or cash donations? Contact Matthew McCarrick, staff assistant of Community Education for the Department of Social Services at (914) 995-4979 or by email at nqm9@westchestergov.com


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here