Photo: Office for Jimmy Van Bramer
August 9, 2011, Staff Report
Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer’s office has just kicked off its second annual back-to-school drive.
Last year’s drive collected over 6,000 donated school supplies from members of the community and business owners.
For most children, the beginning of a new school year means new clothes, new shoes and a new backpack filled with fresh supplies. But thousands of other kids across the City begin the school year without these necessary items. And with the economy still slow, some parents just don’t have the money to buy the supplies their children need to start the school year. As a result of last year’s drive, many students at local schools were given the appropriate tools for success.
Suggested items are: new packets of pens, pencils, folders, binders, loose-leaf paper, graphing paper, notebooks, index cards, calculators, highlighters, markers, rulers, protractors, glue sticks, crayons, lunchboxes, backpacks or any other school-type products.
All supplies go directly to students in need at local schools. At the close of the drive, the supplies will be collected and delivered to local school children.
For details, such as drop off points, see below:
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20 Comments
Jim and Rick are nothing but trolls. Seriously, how messed up would one have to be to crap all over a drive to provide children materials so they need to be educated?
Therefore, this thread is full of trolls.
Bleeding heart Jodi!!!
“Just remember that stuff happens. Even to people with money.”
So true, Jodi. I’m sure there are millions of Americans who can attest to that.
There are plenty of charities and nonprofits unaffiliated with Van Bramer to donate to. http://www.philanthroper.com is a great website that features a different nonprofit daily, encouraging people to donate $1 a day. There is a lot of need out there, and every bit helps.
Obama, by executive decree, has made it nearly impossible to deport anybody who is here illegally. Why have a congress when you can just dictate orders? Please, let’s have the election today!
Jodi, I am in total agreement with Jim. I see all the illegals with 3,4 and 5 kids and have NO jobs and who pays!!! The working US man!!!
I cant wait til Obama is out of office and this nation reforms immigration. ADIOS you thieves!
Oh Jim I knew that would be the exact response that would emanate from your limited mind. It must be nice looking at the world through those glasses. Um, perhaps you are one of the lucky ones who hasn’t had a lay off or a health problem or a foreclosure or family issues or perhaps you have simply been lucky enough to have had none of the issues that have effected millions of Americans in this recession. Bully for you, but perhaps you need to see the world outside of your little childless bubble and realize that there are countless things that can happen to people in the course of a lifetime.
Good luck waiting until you have enough $ for those kids. I hope you never need help from your community for anything. Just remember that stuff happens. Even to people with money.
@Jodi, maybe those parents should take responsibility have NOT have kids. My wife and I are waiting til we have saved enough to have the financial burden of having a kid. take responsiblity for your actions!
Hey Jim, your ignorance is showing. Get a grip! I know plenty of hard working parents who are born American (since this seems to be important to you) who have a hard time affording school supplies. Have you seen the long list of items needed to purchase? It’s hard when you also have to pay rent, utilities, clothes, shoes, food, doctor’s bills, and everything else.
I agree with long time resident. Just think of the innocent kids– not necessarily their parents.
Either help out or not.
Luis, take note:
Suggested items are: new packets of pens, pencils, folders, binders, loose-leaf paper, graphing paper, notebooks, index cards, calculators, highlighters, markers, rulers, protractors, glue sticks, crayons, lunchboxes, backpacks or any other school-type products.
Seriously, this would be a good thing in great economic times, and it’s good thing in times of lingering high unemployment and talk of double dip recession. Because children bear absolutely no responsibility for their economic condition..
Maybe if we didnt have so many illegal immigrants in Sunnyside, there would be no need to pay for their school supplies.
Just another way of a free hand out to those who broke the law.
Come on guys. The councilman is trying to do a good thing. Sure he screwed up with the park but it is time to move on and help the kids.
@Roger With the current state of economy, certainly we also should donate the cucumbers.
Now, I appreciate the initiative of getting supplies, but a little more information will help. What’s the deficit? What’s needed? Otherwise people will just give some cheap pencils. This is important, but the way it’s right now, it seems like a feel-good campaign. What about “Sponsor a child” or something like that? I even feel that five dollars well spend will go way further than pencils.
Donate condoms too, so the teachers can show the kids how to put them on cucumbers.
Gnan – it is called freedom of speech on a board that asks for comments.
I think we make a valid point here.
Bramer “urges” us to donate to those in need, which is all fine and good, yet how much of those discretionary funds, that could have been used for these poor kids, instead went to a private members-only park (amongst other things)???
It is nearly impossible to comprehend the astronomical amount of our tax dollars that are collected and then squandered in this country when it should be put towards improving our children’s lives.
Let s all help the kids in our town and do a mitzvah a good deed.let all get behind our counciman and help .
Oy vay, people.
just help out ,no complaining please!!!
I had the same thought: what about that slush fund? I’ll bet it would buy a lot of pencils!
I wonder how many school supplies could have been purchased with the discretionary public tax dollars wasted on that private park?