NJIT Partners With Newark Community For Backpack Giveaway
The NJIT Department of Public Safety teamed up with the Historic James Street Commons Neighborhood Organization to give away 100 backpacks to local high school and elementary students. The initiative is part of a longstanding practice of constant improvement between the NJIT Department of Public Safety and the campus’s surrounding community.
“Initiatives like this are important to us,” said Sgt. Joshua Sanders, who is in his 23rd year with the NJIT Department of Public Safety. “We want to show that NJIT is a resource local youth can utilize. We don’t want to be just neighbors. We want to be family.”
NJIT police officers and members of the Historic James Street Commons Neighborhood Association ventured to the YMCA on Broad Street to distribute the NJIT backpacks, stuffed with pens and pencils, highlighters, markers, a flash drive, binders, notebooks, masks and hand sanitizers.
"We don’t want to be just neighbors. We want to be family." - Sgt. Joshua Sanders
Students from North Star Academy, University Heights Charter School, First Avenue Elementary School and Arts High School were among the recipients of the black NJIT-branded backpacks. Some were aspiring artists and engineers. Others were focused on sports.
“I like art. Maybe I can do something with that in college,” said Ronny Tenezaca, a 10th grader at Arts High School. Like the other young high schoolers beginning to consider college, he was met with encouraging words from Tammy Hollaway, Newark Central Ward District Leader and President of the Historic James Street Commons Neighborhood Association.
“To obtain it, you have to want it,” Hollaway told the students.
“This is about hope and inspiration and growing community,” said Halloway, “We are a community that is always redefining itself. It’s important that we give hope and new direction to our youth.”
