The Resurrection Church basement was a hive of activity August 16 during the annual Empty School Bag event. Seventeen hundred students lined up to have their new backpacks filled with essential school supplies by Helping Hands volunteers and friends.

 

The Resurrection Church basement was a hive of activity August 16 during the annual Empty School Bag event. Seventeen hundred students lined up to have their new backpacks filled with essential school supplies by Helping Hands volunteers and friends.

 

“The need was greater than ever this year,” said Susan Salice, who ran this year’s backpack distribution.

 

Next year, Helping Hands will celebrate its 25th anniversary — providing a good school start to children living in shelters and transitional housing, serving Saturday dinners at noon at the Carver Center, helping stock food pantries, delivering sandwiches to Grace Church Soup Kitchen in White Plains, and offering whatever other support they can as needed.

 

To date, they’ve filled over 20,000 backpacks, have made over 86,000 sandwiches, and have organized over 17,000 hot fresh meals at the Carver Center.

 

Here’s to all the heroes who help.

 

— Robin Jovanovich