People to People gets $10,000 O&R Grant to Boost Back-to-School Program

Orange & Rockland Utilities has awarded a $10,000 grant to People to People's Back to School with Dignity program, marking the ninth year that O&R has helped to send Rockland County's most vulnerable children back to school ready to succeed.

O&R has donated more than $50,000 to this program since 2001.

"For hundreds of Rockland County children whose families are facing hard times, going back to school can be difficult," said Tom Brizzolara, O&R's director of Public Affairs. "While these students may be financially disadvantaged, we must make sure they do not feel lost or forgotten or humiliated because of their circumstances."

Since 1994, Nanuet-based People to People's Back to School with Dignity program has sent thousands of Rockland children back to school with the tools they need to succeed.  Over the past 15 years, the number of children benefiting from Back to School with Dignity has grown from 35 in 1994 to 2,398 in 2009.

 "We could not implement Back to School With Dignity without significant support from O&R," said Diane Serratore, executive director of People to People. "We anticipate distributing nearly 3,000 backpacks filled with school supplies this year. The number of families coming to us for food has increased and we know that the children in these families also will need school supplies."

The average cost of a backpack filled with school supplies ranges from $35 for a kindergarten to $150 for high school. Supplies include: calculators, binders, folders, notebooks, compasses, graph paper, pens, pencils, glue sticks, markers and more. Back to School with Dignity will provide supplies to People to People clients through September 3, 2010.

People to People is a non-profit organization that has been serving Rockland County residents since the organization's founding in 1973. Its mission is simple: to help struggling Rocklanders through hard times with dignity. People to People's work is volunteer-driven and responsive in nature with nearly 90 percent of funds raised going directly to program services.

For more information about Back to School With Dignity or to make a donation, visit www.peopletopeopleinc.org. Donations can also be mailed to People to People at 121 West Nyack Road, Nanuet., N.Y. 10954, ATT: Diane Serratore. Note on the check that your contribution is for the Back to School With Dignity program. Your donation is tax deductible as allowed by law. Please check with your tax advisor.

You can also shop for school supplies for Back to School With Dignity and drop off your donation at People to People's offices at 121 W. Nyack Road, Nanuet, between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Thursdays.