Saint Peter's Healthcare System Employees Donate School Supplies to Schools in 17th Voting District

Employees at Saint Peter’s Healthcare System have collected and donated hundreds of classroom supplies to help students in New Jersey’s 17th Legislative District start off the school year right with the tools they need.

The Saint Peter’s effort was part of the 5th annual 17th Legislative District Backpack Drive, organized by state Assemblyman Upendra Chivukula, D-Middlesex, of Somerset. The drive has been able to supply backpacks and other school supplies to more than 750 students every year in the municipalities of Milltown, New Brunswick, North Brunswick and Piscataway in Middlesex County, and Franklin in Somerset County.

Saint Peter’s employees contributed: 19 backpacks (12 fully stuffed with pens and pencils and other school needs); 154 pocket folders; 269 notebooks; 61 packages of glue sticks; 18 rulers; 28 boxes of markers; 112 boxes of crayons; 8 calculators; 16 pencil cases; 22 scissors; 31 three-ring binders, other miscellaneous items, and the list goes on and on.

The drive was organized by Jay Jimenez, vice president of government affairs for Saint Peter’s Healthcare System, and coordinated by Nancy Contaldi, executive assistant.

“I am extremely proud that the employees of Saint Peter’s care so much about the future of our schoolchildren,” Jimenez said. “They really came through for the kids.”