The Shops At Atlas Park hosted a back-to-school gift drive organized by the NYPD to get families on the right track before the start of the school year in September.
Photo by Anthony Medina
A back-to-school fundraiser at the Shops At Atlas Park in Glendale attracted hundreds of parents and children to the community shopping center on Friday, Aug. 16, to pick up free backpacks and school supplies before September.
As part of an effort to prepare children for the new school year that begins next month, the NYPD Office of the Chief of Department’s Rapid Response Team, along with community partners, are distributing backpacks, notebooks, pencils and more across the city.
Partners involved in the distribution of school supplies included Amazon, Roman Empire Logistics and Toys for Tots, who combined the back-to-school event with some fun.
Police Officer Shajdon Monestine, one of the leaders of the department’s rapid response unit that organized the event, says that in the time before school starts, every little thing helps.
“We just want to bring all of these resources together to give something great back to these kids,” Monestine said.
Monestine also adds that organizing the gift drive in Glendale is part of a larger commitment to the community, especially for parents who are in the process of completing their children’s school supplies wish list.
“It’s one less thing for parents to worry about as they prepare for back-to-school, whether the kids are going into middle school, elementary school or high school for the first time,” Monestine said. “Even in kindergarten and preschool, there’s a list. They have to bring a certain amount of things to school, and we wanted to give them that little relief so they (the parents) don’t have to worry anymore.”
Roman Empire Logistics founder Vinny Roman also spoke about the impact the giveaway has had on Queens neighbors. His role in the giveaway was expanded by the involvement of the organization Toys for Tots, which provided toys to participating families.
“This is a true testament to what community work is,” Roman said. “Communities helping communities.”
Other stores in the Shops at Atlas Park also participated in the giveaway, including Tiger Schulman’s Martial Arts and Laser Bounce Family Fun Center.
The office of Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz participated in the backpack distribution along with local businesses.
Police officers from various parts of the city, including the NYPD’s 104th and 112th precincts, also participated in the raffle.
Queens North Deputy Chief Raymond Porteus, who oversees the Glendale area, was also in attendance and took the time to thank this year’s backpack giveaway partners, who received certificates of appreciation from the NYPD.
Overall, the Shops At Atlas Park received a lot of praise from the back-to-school giveaway organizers for allowing them to use the mall’s outdoor space.
Peter DeLucia, general manager of the Shops At Atlas Park, and Dawn Simons, senior marketing manager for the center, received certificates of appreciation from the NYPD.
DeLucia says Atlas Park will continue to offer community-focused events to guests, such as free movies, concerts and classic car shows. This year, the mall is looking to expand its relationship with the NYPD with more events, such as the backpack giveaway.
“One of our main initiatives for this year was to build a closer relationship with the NYPD and try to get youth in the area involved,” DeLucia said. “Some of the issues in this zip code, Ridgewood and Glendale, affect youth, so we wanted to try to do more events with the NYPD.”
As part of an NYPD event at the mall next month, the NYPD Video Game Truck, a mobile arcade, will come to Atlas Park on Saturday, September 14.
