Partners

Walgreens and Duane Reade by Walgreens

Since beginning its support of Operation Backpack®, Walgreens and Duane Reade by Walgreens has retained its commitment to the cause. From posters in the retail windows to collection bins in more than 300 stores; from facilitating donations from the public and a skilled marketing team that promotes the partnership through a multitude of media to dedicated employees who volunteer their time during Sort Week, Walgreens has been a vital partner in raising awareness of the needs of homeless children.

The Home Depot Foundation

Since beginning its partnership with Volunteers of America in April 2011, The Home Depot® Foundation has given more than $11 million to the organization to improve housing for homeless veterans and their families. VOA is one of the nation's largest nonprofit organizations addressing veterans' needs, serving more than 40,000 veterans each year in 46 cities. In the Greater New York area, several beautification projects, spearheaded by Team Depot volunteers, greatly enhanced the environment and quality of life for tenants at our two permanent veterans residences.

FedEx

For over a decade, FedEx has been a vital partner to Volunteers of America-Greater New York, ensuring that the generosity of thousands of people reaches the individuals, children and families in our care. During Operation Backpack®, FedEx picks up supplies at participating drop off locations and delivers them to our Operation Backpack® 'Sort Space.' During the holidays, FedEx delivers truckloads of donated toys to children in our family shelters.

OOH Pitch

Having inquired too late to conduct a drive for Operation Backpack® 2014, OOH Pitch was first to call us to get involved in the 2015 campaign. While rallying staff and vendors to collect backpacks and school supplies, OOH Pitch's incredible gift came in the form of $1 million in donated 'Out-Of-Home' advertising space for Operation Backpack® 2015 and 2016. From Taxi TV, to movie theater previews, to telephone kiosks, to billboards in Times Square, OOH Pitch and its cadre of compassionate vendors literally put us on the map and exponentially increased the visibility of Operation Backpack in the eyes of New York City.

Greater New York Hospital Association

For several years, the Greater New York Hospital Association has generously contributed necessary funds to our Hope and Hearth Food Voucher Program, which has been helping families in need stretch their holiday food budgets since 1896. This holiday tradition lives on through an incredibly generous donation of $20,000 each year from an anonymous supporter. It enables us to issue food vouchers that may be used at local grocery stores, so families and individuals can shop for and cook a holiday meal that is special to them.