Woodhaven backpack school supply giveaway
By Nelson A. King
As the estimated cost of
families to outfit their children
with clothing and supplies for
K-12 back-to-school has risen
7.5 percent since last year, several
Queens businesses, philanthropic
and faith-based
groups have come together to
give away new backpacks and
needed school supplies for 300
Kindergarten to Fifth Graders
from the Woodhaven to Jamaica
area.
The event took place at the
Tabernacle of Emmanuel Full
Gospel Assemblies through the
generosity of the Zara Charitable
Foundation and The George
Subraj Family Foundation.
Over many years, Zara Realty
and its leader’s family foundation
have invested heavily in
supporting the educational and
preparedness needs of children
in the communities where its
residential buildings are located.
“The George Subraj Family
Foundation and the Zara
Foundation want to give children
in this community a leg
up on a competitive year of
learning,” said Tony Subraj, the
Guyanese-born vice president
of Zara Realty.
“For students, the past year
has been about remote classes
and learning via computer,” he
added. “Some children will now
be heading back to the classroom,
anxious about a school
environment they have not
experienced in 18-months since
the pandemic began.
“This backpack giveaway
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allows us to provide these
amazing children some of the
tools to help them succeed and
return confident and ready to
learn,” Subraj continued.
According to the National
Retail Survey (NRF), 43 percent
of all back-to-class shoppers
will use government stimulus
funds to purchase items for the
upcoming school year, and that
back-to-school shoppers plan to
spend $21 more on average on
electronics this year, compared
with 2020, and $19 more on
clothing.
“Young Heir’s Ministry is the
children’s church of the Tabernacle
of Emmanuel Full Gospel
Assemblies,” said Pastor Sharon
Yhap-van Dijk, Children’s Pastor
at the Young Heirs Ministry
of the Tabernacle of Emmanuel
Full Gospel Assemblies and
Superintendent Young Heirs
Ministry, which collaborated
with Zara Charitable Foundation
in hosting the event.
“Due to the pandemic and
COVID 19, last year, we were
not able to hold a giveaway,”
she added. “We usually have
a few fundraisers throughout
the year to hold a backpack and
school supplies drive in order to
Tony Subraj, vice president of Zara Realty, takes a photo
with a student during the back-to-school giveaway outside
the Tabernacle of Emmanuel Full Gospel Assemblies. Zara
Charitable Foundation
give back to the community.
“This year, we were not able
to do any of those things,”
Pastor Yhap-van Dijk added.
Amir Sobhraj, fi nancial
comptroller of Zara Realty,
hands a backpack to a student
at the back-to-school
giveaway. Zara Charitable
Foundation
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