2018 Operation Backpack® Kickoff Breakfast

On June 7, we held our annual Operation Backpack® kickoff breakfast at The Oak Room of The Plaza. Each year, the breakfast helps get new partners acquainted with the annual drive, which aims to provide full backpacks to more than 18,000 children living in homeless and domestic violence shelters in New York City.

The event included presentations from Steven Banks, Commissioner of the NYC Human Resources Administration and Department of Social Services, and Joslyn Carter, Administrator of the Department of Homeless Services (DHS), who spoke about family homelessness and the importance of partnerships in uplifting New Yorkers.

“Throughout my service at DHS over more than a decade, I’ve seen first-hand what Operation Backpack® has meant to the families we support, including the looks on children’s faces as they receive their new back-to-school supplies,” said Carter. “They know— and we know —that they’ll get to start their school year with pride.”

A panel of some of our most dedicated partners shared their experiences about participating in Operation Backpack® over the years, including best practices about how to engage colleagues and partners. The panel included Rhianna Nieves of Brookfield Properties, Katrina Panzlau of CCS Fundraising, Diane Manning from JP Morgan, and Jordan Catalana from Kenneth Cole.

A special thank you to Mike Warren, Director of Catering for CPS Events at The Plaza for hosting the event, and to Bentley Meeker Lighting and Stage for donating the AV assistance and helping to ensure the whole program ran smoothly!

If you'd like to get your organization involved in Operation Backpack®, please contact Andrew Zibell for more information.