Backpack, School Supply Drive Underway In Burlington County

MOORESTOWN, NJ — A backpack and school supply drive is underway in Burlington County, and Moorestown residents have a drop-off site in town.

The drive is being led by the Burlington County Board of Commissioners and New Jersey Senators Troy Singleton and Dawn Marie Addiego, officials announced Friday morning.

The goal of the drive, underway through Aug. 20, is to collect new school supplies and other back to school items for local families in need. Collections are taking place at all county buildings and libraries, as well as the senators' legislative offices, located at 400 North Church Street, Suite 200 in Moorestown and 176 Route 70, Suite 13 in Medford.

"The start of the new school year is fast approaching, and getting all the supplies students need can be a financial hardship for some families," Burlington County Commissioner Director Felicia Hopson said. "We want to make sure every child in Burlington County is properly supplied, so we teamed up with Senators Singleton and Addiego to collect backpacks and other back-to-school items to assist those families who may be struggling to provide the essentials."

Suggested donations include: backpacks, calculators, binders, paper, folders, notebooks, composition books, pencils, pencil cases, pens, crayons, markers, highlighters, erasers, small hand sanitizers, lunch boxes, scissors and index cards.

The commissioners and the senators recently completed a spring supply drive for Catholic Charities' Providence House domestic violence services, in which more than 1,000 items were collected for the nonprofit's shelter and support programs.

"Our residents stepped up in a major way to help the victims of domestic violence, and we're confident they will do the same to assist needy families and their children," Addiego said. "Our children deserve to get the best education possible, and we're going to help every student in Burlington County begin the school year with all the supplies they need."

"Helping students begin the year with new backpacks and supplies is something our legislative office has done regularly," said Singleton, who first took office in 2011. "By joining forces with County Commissioners and Senator Addiego we hope to ensure even more students have the tools they need to succeed in the upcoming school year."