2,000 Kids Given Free School Supplies In Newark
NEWARK N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Nearly 2,000 kids lined up in Newark on Sunday to receive a free backpack filled with school supplies.
As CBS2's Ilana Gold reported, they hope it will help them start the school year off right.
"There's notebooks and pencils and everything I need in there," said Jyseniyah Francois, who is heading into the eighth grade.
Jyseniyah said she can use whatever help she can get. She said it's been difficult for her family to make ends meet and remembers having a tough time in reading class last year.
"It was very difficult because it was embarrassing for me to ask my friends for notebooks and pieces of paper, because I've always been prepared for school," Jyseniyah said.
Her brother, Don O'Shane, also had a similar past experience, but now he's starting off third grade on a positive note.
"When I go to school, I have this book bag so I don't have to be asking people like, 'Can I borrow your pencil? Can I borrow your pencil?'" he said. "So I have my own stuff, so I can take care of it."
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka helped hand out the community donations as part of the Back to School Bus Tour.
"It gives them a chance to show them people in their community care about their well-being," Baraka said.
It's a gesture the young students and their families greatly appreciate.
"I've been star student for six years," said fourth-grader Nyla Walker, adding she hopes the book bag giveaway will help her continue that.
There will be another school supply giveaway Monday in Newark's East and South wards. It will help hundreds of additional students.
