Hunts Point Alliance for Children to Host 9th Annual Back to School Fair – September 24th

HUNTS POINT ALLIANCE FOR CHILDREN TO HOST NINTH ANNUAL BACK TO SCHOOL FAIR

Special celebration planned for students at Hunts Point Riverside Park with free food, music, and school supplies.

BRONX, NEW YORK SEPTEMBER 24, 2016 — The Hunts Point Alliance for Children (HPAC) will host their ninth annual Back to School Fair on Saturday, September 24th, 2016. HPAC hosts this event annually to generate excitement and prepare the students and families of Hunts Point for the new academic school year. This event exemplifies HPAC’s vision of every child in the 10474 zip code being ready for kindergarten, ready for elementary school, ready for high school, and ready for higher education. In past years, this event has drawn crowds of over 500 Hunts Point residents.

At the Back to School Fair, participating organizations will provide activities that support Hunts Point’s commitment to literacy and life-long learning. Special events this year will include community rowing on the Bronx River by Rocking the Boat, Urban Health Plan’s Urban Mercado, and a special live performance and workshop by percussion group BombaYo, sponsored by the Center for Health Equity.

Additional participants include: the Bronx Children’s Museum River on the Go Bus, Bronx Charter School for the Arts, Hyde Leadership Charter School, P.S. 48, M.S. 424, Saint Ignatius School, City Year, Jumpstart, THE POINT CDC, The Laundromat Project, Literacy Inc., Reading Partners, Makers Point, and the CUNY Fatherhood Academy. Refreshments, free school supplies, and fun will be available. These materials were made possible through generous donations from High Water Women, A Childhood for Children, and A1 Distributors in Hunts Point.

“The annual Back to School Fair has become a community tradition to celebrate the start of the new academic year.” said Jill Roche, Executive Director of HPAC. “We are grateful to each of the participating organization for their commitment to make the day special for all Hunts Point students.

About the Hunts Point Alliance for Children
The Hunts Point Alliance for Children (HPAC) is comprised of sixteen individual schools and non-profit organizations committed to supporting children and families living in the Hunts Point peninsula of the South Bronx. The Citizens’ Committee for Children on New York has identified Hunts Point as the most at risk neighborhood to grow up in New York based on economic, employment, housing, health, and other factors. Over 59% of the children in the community live in poverty.[1]

HPAC’s efforts are driven by the vision that Hunts Point children will be ready for kindergarten, ready for middle school, ready for high school, and ready for higher education. In the nine years of its existence, HPAC has been a strong voice for the children of Hunts Point and a conduit for resources to support the schools and organizations in this community.

HPAC’s birth to college pipeline provides programming and academic opportunities in the following program areas: Early Childhood Education, Youth Development, Education Transition Counseling, and Family Support Services. On an annual basis, HPAC serves 300 children and young people and reaches 2,000 residents through community events and outreach.