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QUEENS WEEKLY, AUGUST 18, 2019
Teachers can stock up on supplies in LIC
Materials for the Arts will host its fifth-annual ‘shopping spree’ for local educators on Aug. 27
BY JENNA BAGCAL
A creative reuse
program based in Long
Island City is helping
public schools and
nonprofits get free school
supplies this year.
Starting on Aug. 27,
Materials for the Arts is
hosting its fifth annual
supply shopping event,
where members can pick
up much-needed free
resources from the
organization’s warehouse.
MFTA members can
make appointments to
shop the warehouse at
33-00 Northern Blvd. on
Tuesdays beginning at
10 a.m. and Thursdays
beginning at 1:30 p.m.
Each member is allowed a
90- to 120-minute shopping
window. Existing members
can visit the MFTA website
to make an appointment.
Individuals must
be MFTA members
to participate in the
supply “shopping spree.”
Department of Education
schools and nonprofits
must meet certain criteria
to be eligible MFTA
members. Click here to
find out how to become a
member or check if your
DOE school is already an
MFTA member.
In addition to shopping
the 35,000-squarefoot
warehouse, the
organization encourages
individuals and companies
to donate supplies or
funds. Donations, which
are tax-deductible, can
be dropped off at MFTA,
qualify for free pickup, be
shipped or posted online
to the Direct Donations
list. Those who drop off
donations can do so on
Mondays, Wednesdays
and Fridays.
The following is a list of
MFTA’s most wanted items
from donors:
• Art books — only
creative and performing
arts-related
• Art supplies — paint,
brushes, glue, tape, glitter,
crayons, markers, etc.
• Audio and video
equipment
• Beads and jewelry
• Chairs — especially
rolling office chairs and
folding chairs
• Computers (nothing
over 4 years old)
• Digital cameras and
tripods
• Fabric — rolls and
large pieces (no scrap)
• Flat-screen TVs
• Folding tables
• Ladders
• Musical instruments
• Office supplies
• Paper — drawing pads,
reams of copy paper, foam
core, mat board, seamless
backdrop rolls
• Picture frames,
stretcher bars, canvas,
easels
• Power tools
• Trim and sewing
notions
• Theatrical lighting &
clip lamps
Since its inception
in 1978, MFTA has
supported the arts and
cultural communities
while promoting
reuse, recycling and
waste reduction.
Over 4,300 public
schools and nonprofit
organizations receive
free supplies through the
program, which is run
by the NYC Department
of Cultural Affairs with
DOE support.
For more information
visit the MFTA website,
mfta.org, email
education@MFTA.nyc.gov
or call 718-729-3001.
Reach reporter Jenna
Bagcal by email at
jbagcal@qns.com or by
phone at (718) 260-2583.
The fifth annual school supply shopping event for MFTA members begins Aug. 27.
Photo courtesy of Materials for the Arts
Borough hall hosts school supply drive for homeless kids
BY BILL PARRY
With the new school
year just around the
corner, Queens Borough
President Melinda Katz is
urging borough residents
to contribute backpacks
and other school supplies
as part of her sixth annual
Project: Back to School
initiative organized by the
Coalition for the Homeless.
The drive provides
homeless children with the
items they need to succeed
in the classroom.
“According to the
Coalition for the Homeless,
nearly 115,000 New York
City schoolchildren
experienced homelessness
at some point last year,”
Katz said. “Let’s make
sure all kids have a chance
to get the school year off
to a good start with the
supplies they need.”
Borough Hall is
accepting donations of new
backpacks and other school
supplies now through
Wednesday, Aug. 28.
Donations will be accepted
on the first floor at 120-
55 Queens Boulevard in
Kew Gardens, in a box just
inside the front entrance
in the main lobby.
In addition to the
backpacks, the Coalition
for the Homeless says
supplies that can be
donated include No. 2
pencils, hard and soft
pencil cases, pencil
sharpeners, crayons,
colored pencils, washable
markers, Elmer’s glue,
glue sticks, composition
notebooks, binders, ruled
paper, safety scissors,
pocket folders and
scientific calculators.
The Coalition for the
Homeless provides food
and clothing, eviction
prevention, crisis services,
permanent housing,
job training and youth
programs to thousands
of homeless New Yorkers
each day. The Coalition
also advocates for proven,
housing-based solutions to
end homelessness.
“The Coalition for
the Homeless has been
thrilled to partner with
Queens Borough President
Melinda Katz in Project:
Back to School for the past
six years,” Coalition for
the Homeless Executive
Director Dave Giffen said.
“The backpacks and school
supplies so generously
donated by the people
of Queens help level the
playing field for homeless
girls and boys, allowing
Queens Borough President Melinda Katz and Sarah Murphy, of the Coalition for the homeless,
following last year’s “Project: Back to School” that resulted in hundreds of backpacks with
supplies for homeless children. Courtesy of Borough Hall
them to walk into that first
day of school fully equipped
and ready for class. More
than 21,000 children will
sleep in NYC homeless
shelters tonight, and so
we are truly grateful to BP
Katz for her dedication to
helping so many of them
start the new school year
off right.”
Donations dropped
off at Borough Hall are
anonymous and are not
tax-deductible and all
donated items will be
distributed to homeless
children throughout the
city. Borough Hall can be
easily reached by mass
transit by taking the E
or F subway lines to the
Kew Gardens-Union
Turnpike station.
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