Massapequa school supply drive makes a meaningful impact

Students in the Massapequa School District sure do know the meaning of giving back. They donated hundreds of backpacks and lunch bags, along with a plethora of school supplies, for the third annual Give Back Backpack Drive hosted by the local With Purpose Foundation.

On Oct. 7, students, faculty, staff, administrators, board of education trustees, elected officials and community members gathered at Lockhart Elementary School to celebrate the culmination of another successful drive. The With Purpose Foundation partnered with the Massapequa School District, in addition to Island Trees Middle School, Mepham High School and fashion company Steve Madden to collect 747 backpacks and lunch bags, along with 363 pounds of school supplies, surpassing last year’s totals.

The backpacks were laid out in the shape of a heart on the field to celebrate the success. Donations were collected from Sept. 2 to 30, with bins in each of the district’s nine schools. Give Back Backpack started in 2024 at Birch Lane and Lockhart, before expanding to all Massapequa schools last year.

Michael Fay, founder of the With Purpose Foundation and a father of Massapequa students, thanked the students and community for their generosity. He noted that all of the donations go to YES Community Counseling Center, based in Massapequa, which will distribute the backpacks and supplies.

“One kind act, one ripple, creates endless impact,” he said, noting that 747 children will now receive necessary school items. “This may be the end of this year’s backpack drive, but it isn’t the end of that ripple.”

Lockhart Elementary School Principal Michael DeLuca talked about the origins of the Give Back Backpack Drive and the formation of the partnership with Massapequa schools. He explained the enthusiasm of students to do a kind act for other children.

“Every day, you saw students come in with backpacks and supplies and were so happy to do it,” he said. “It was something that we all think is so simple because we all probably have backpacks in our closets and our attics, so the thought was great but what it means is probably a lot more.”

Lockhart held a contest among its fifth graders to guess how much would be collected this year. Ethan Miller was recognized for having the closest guess to the number of backpacks donated and Gabe Kempen was just 10 pounds off on school supplies. Both students received kindness coins and With Purpose Foundation hats for their great guesses.

 

Photo captions:

1: The success of the With Purpose Foundation’s third annual Give Back Backpack drive, which included donation bins at all nine Massapequa schools, was celebrated on Oct. 7 at Lockhart Elementary School.

2: Gabe Kempen, left, and Ethan Miller were winners of a fifth grade contest to guess how many pounds of school supplies and how many backpacks would be donated. 

3: Massapequa resident Michael Fay, founder of the With Purpose Foundation, expressed his gratitude to the community for their generous donations. 

 

Photos courtesy of the Massapequa School District