The Safe Center, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit, the leading victim service organization in Nassau County, in conjunction with Supplies for Success, which advocates for disadvantaged children in the United States, packed 199 backpacks to be given out to the children who are receiving services including counseling and advocacy for domestic abuse, child abuse and other forms of interpersonal violence. The distribution will take place as children come to the center, in advance of them going back to school in September.

For the past few years, Supplies for Success and The Safe Center have collaborated to distribute backpacks and other materials to children and families served by The Safe Center. In the nearly 20 years of the program, Supplies for Success has distributed backpacks and other materials to more than 261,000 children.

“For people living in poverty, educational supplies are a luxury they simply can’t afford. The pandemic and inflation made it worse,” said Mindy Richtenstein, Founder & President of Supplies for Success. “We love joining forces to help broaden our shared mission to enhance the lives of our communities' young people in need.” 

“The families we serve are in the midst of healing from trauma and rebuilding their lives. When we can remove the financial burden of school supplies, we make a tremendous impact. No parent should have to choose between paying rent or getting to equip their child with the tools to succeed in school,” said Debbie Lyons, Associate Executive Director of The Safe Center. “Thanks to our partners at Supplies for Success the families we serve are able to take another step toward a thriving life in the aftermath of abuse. We know we're making a profound impact on these children’s education and empowering them for a brighter future.”  

About Supplies for Success 

Supplies for Success aims to help ensure equal access to education to all children by providing essential tools for learning and confidence. For back-to-school, we distribute backpacks filled with age-appropriate school supplies before the first day of school, so underserved children can start on a more level playing field prepared to learn, feeling confident, and looking like their peers. CareKits are distributed throughout the year to promote learning, creativity and reduce stress.

About The Safe Center

The Safe Center, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit, is the leading victim service organization in Nassau County, providing comprehensive and trauma-informed services for victims of interpersonal violence including domestic violence, child sexual and severe physical abuse, rape and sexual assault, human trafficking, and elder abuse. In 2014, The Safe Center was created by the merger of the Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence (founded in 1978) and the Coalition Against Child Abuse & Neglect (founded in 1979). This merger created a highly integrated service model to empower victims of interpersonal violence to recover from their abuse. The Safe Center operates a 24-hour Hotline (516-542-0404) providing crisis intervention, access to services, and information and support. Visit https://www.tscli.org for more information.