Community Matters: Project: Back to School

What they do

Every year, Project: Back to School, an initiative run by the Coalition for the Homeless, purchases and fills more than 2,500 new backpacks with essential supplies for homeless schoolkids throughout the five boroughs.

What we do for them

According to Kramer Levin’s Managing Director and Chief Human Resources Officer Cindy B. Arnold, “We’ve been involved with Project: Back to School since 2005, when I organized our first collection of school supplies. Since then, we’ve collected thousands of items for homeless children in need. Last year, when COVID required Project: Back to School to rely on monetary donations instead of physical items, we raised money for the initiative, and hope to surpass that this year. It’s a small thing we can do that really has a huge impact on the kids it serves.”

Why it’s great

Project: Back to School helps to address inequities in school readiness among homeless children in New York. “As students are slated to return to in-person classes this coming fall, families are still reeling from the long-term economic effects of the pandemic,” explains Nora Markam, development associate for Coalition for the Homeless. “It is more crucial now than ever to make sure every child has access to the school supplies they need to have a successful academic year.”

How they feel about our work

“Kramer Levin’s years of generous support have helped provide thousands of homeless students with backpacks filled with pencils, notebooks, folders and everything else they need to start the school year off right,” says Sarah Murphy, the Coalition’s director of development. “We are extremely grateful for the firm’s continued commitment to giving so many homeless schoolkids the tools for academic success.”