New York Guard families get free school supplies

Courtesy Photo | Lisa Baldassano,left, the Family Readiness Group lead for the New York Army National Guard’s 42nd Signal Company and Jessica Murray, the Family Readiness Group lead for the New York National Guard’s 222nd Chemical Company, stand ready to distribute school supply kits to service members at Fort Hamilton, in Brooklyn, New York on August 13, 2021. Because there were no unit drills in August, the Family Readiness Groups pooled their school supplies in a central location so that New York National Guard Soldiers assigned to New York City units, and other service members could pick up supplies donated by Operation Home Front. (Courtesy Photo)  

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES

08.16.2021

Story by Eric Durr 

New York National Guard

FORT HAMILTON, Brooklyn--Family readiness volunteers from New York City Army National Guard units teamed up to hold a combined school supplies distribution event at Fort Hamilton on August 13 and 14.

Normally, the supplies would have been made available to Soldiers and their families during the August drill weekend, said Melissa Wong, a military and family programs specialist.

But because the August drill was canceled due to funding shortfalls, the New York City units decided to distribute supplies from central location, she said.

The supplies – book bags, notebooks, pens, pencils, crayons, and other items—are donated by Operation Homefront , a non-profit which supports military families.

The supplies were sent directly to the unit family readiness program volunteers, so they also needed a place to store them which was not in their house, Wong said.

Each unit’s volunteer lead brought their supplies to Fort Hamilton and the team set up a distribution center in the Army Reserve Center at Fort Hamilton. And they put the word out that free school supplies were available.

Seventy military families picked up supplies on August 13 and 14, said Wong, who is also Master Sgt. Wong in the 42nd Infantry Division.

Volunteers Jessica Murray and Edlin Rodriguez, from the 222nd Chemical Company, and Lisa Baldassano, from the 42nd Infantry Division Signal Company, played key roles in organizing the event; as did Staff Sgt. Tarrie Harrison, from the 222nd Chem and Sgt. Fatmata Britton from Joint Force Headquarters, Wong said.

There are more supplies available. Families can Betty Eissfeld at 518-649-2065 to Wong at 347-569-8-47 if they need school supplies.

• Date Taken: 08.16.2021
• Date Posted: 08.16.2021 15:21
• Story ID: 403179
• Location: BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, US