This summer, Summit Health Cares helped students across our communities step into the new school year ready to learn through our Back-to-School Supply Drive.
With the help of our dedicated employees, volunteers, and community partners, including El Centro Hispano, we distributed more than 1,750 backpacks filled with essential school supplies to children in need throughout New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Oregon. From pencils and notebooks to folders and calculators, each backpack provided the tools students need to start the year strong. But more than that, each one represented care, encouragement, and opportunity.
We sat down with Judith Aucar from El Centro Hispano, one of our community partners who helped distribute backpacks in White Plains, New York. Judith shared how the partnership made a tangible difference for families in her community:
“Many of the parents we work with are doing their best to make ends meet,” Judith explained. “These backpacks mean their children can start school just like everyone else — with the supplies they need and a smile on their face.”
The drive was part of Summit Health Cares’ ongoing commitment to supporting families and reducing barriers to success. By ensuring that every child has what they need to learn, grow, and thrive, we’re helping build healthier and stronger communities from the ground up.
A heartfelt thank-you to everyone who donated, packed, and volunteered to make this year’s drive such a success. Because of you, hundreds of students started the year with not only new supplies, but also a renewed sense of pride and possibility.