Kiwanis Club of East Meadow gives ‘back’ to students in need

The Kiwanis Club of East Meadow gathered backpacks, notebooks, folders and other school supplies and delivered them to the East Meadow Union Free School District on Aug. 28.

The club has served underprivileged community members for 73 years. The nonprofit, part of the larger international organization, helps children by connecting them and their parents with supplies that improve their quality of life.

“Family is very important here at the East Middle School District,” Anthony Velazquez, the district’s director of facilities, told the Herald at the supply drop-off.

The club collected everything from backpacks to pencils, glue and staplers throughout the summer and sorted them into boxes that will be distributed among district schools.

“Each year, the Kiwanis Club of East Meadow organizes a back-to-school backpack program,” club President Joseph Parisi said. “We work with the school district to identify the needs of each building, then the committee goes into high gear and they reach out to the entire club and the community and ask for whatever the supplies are.”

The district’s five elementary schools, two middle schools and two high schools will distribute the items to students as needed.

“The district is very fortunate to have a close partnership with the Kiwanis Club,” Joane Vincent, the director of special education and people personnel services, said. “The social workers in each of the buildings gather information from their students to determine where the needs are, and this really helps us to meet the needs of students through community supplies which helps them to really be successful.”

“I love back-to-school time,” Kiwanis Past President Jennifer Reinhardt said. “It’s one of my favorite times of the year. It’s a fresh, new start. The goal was to have students have a really nice way to begin their year with brand new supplies, and have something exciting to look forward to.”

The donations were made possible with help from local businesses, the East Meadow Fire Department, the New York Islanders, and individuals who gave school supplies or donated money.

“The outpouring of support we received in the community over the past few years has been absolutely incredible, touching, and every little bit makes a difference,” Reinhardt said. “Anybody who contributed, who hosted a bin for donations and pulled up to drop off stuff to our house or to one of the businesses — that’s the reason we’re able to do what we do.”

The club has several events this fall that will bring the community some holiday spirit. One is its Thanksgiving food drive, which will collect food donations. And its toy drive will give families gifts to put under their Christmas trees.

“Our club does so much — that’s what we’re proud of,” Past President Kevin Kamper said. “This is all about giving back to the community, and it’s all about helping kids. What we always like to say is kids need Kiwanis, and especially for a project like this. It’s so important for our students to have all the supplies they need on the opening day of school, to hit the ground running. Even if they can’t afford them, we help them get everything started.”

The club also has programs that offer help for extracurricular activities, over the summer and during the school year, with two highlights, according to Kamper.

“Number one would be sending our kids to Camp Kiwanis,” he said. “It gives kids a chance to get away by spending a week fishing, swimming and playing. The second thing we’re proud of is our service and leadership program, which sponsors clubs from the elementary school level all the way up to the high school level.”

Kiwanis leaders added that the club is coming off a successful summer, including its Christmas in July toy drive, its scholarship dinner and its annual golf fundraiser.

To learn more about the Kiwanis Club and upcoming events, visit EastMeadowKiwanis.org.