Bronx Children Celebrate Back-to-School at World Vision Carnival

This year’s back-to-school event hosted by World Vision featured a carnival for 230 children from South Bronx family shelters and churches.

During the event, each child received a new backpack filled with school supplies. The celebration also featured games, face painting, prizes, jump rope, a spelling bee, and other child-focused activities.

The celebration was a collaborative effort among World Vision, Target, and the Yankees Foundation. Both Target and the Yankees Foundation have faithfully supported World Vision’s education resources programs for the Bronx.

The Yankees coordinated the donation of 500 hot-dogs and buns. Target team members from area stores volunteered for the morning, enthusiastically greeting the children as they arrived. The Target volunteers also helped pass out the backpacks to the excited children.

“I love my new backpack!” one child said with pride.

The event was an opportunity for children to get exited about returning to school. Yesennia Velez from SEBCO Community Development Corporation coordinated 62 children from their programs to attend the event.

Yesennia said, “Families that can’t afford to get backpacks and supplies for school are able to come to this event and get the needed items for the children. And they’re having a good time. These kids wouldn’t get a backpack otherwise. Sometimes we see parents cry because they can’t provide for their kids and they tell us, ‘I couldn’t afford it.’ This is a huge help to them.”

Target played a significant role in this event. With World Vision’s relatively small number of staff, Target volunteers helped to make the day safe and fun for the children.

Ebony Faulk works at Target’s new Bronx Terminal location and has volunteered with World Vision in the past. “I remember that when I was in a shelter when I was a kid, my family was in the same position that some of these families are in. An organization came to our shelter to give us backpacks and food, which we couldn’t really afford. It was great to receive a new backpack. So, I know how special it is to experience something like this.”