In response to Super Storm Sandy relief efforts, All Saints Lutheran Church has partnered with a local resident to serve as a drop off location for a school supply collection for storm ravaged school PS 207 in Howard Beach, New York.  This supply collection is to help families and schools get kids back to school and keep them learning as their community rebuilds after Sandy.    

As you can imagine, everything was affected in the storm – schools included – and many of the families that live in Howard Beach and Broad Channel, NY - (both towns where most the families who attend Rockwood Park Middle School live) - attended these schools, and have not only been shut out of their schools, but have also been displaced from their homes.  These children are currently attending “host” schools to keep them in the classroom, but supplies are short and the families are still struggling.    So…through a program that was started by a New York mom, Schools Adopting Schools emerged!  Jen DeFranco, a Palatine resident and fellow Mom Congress delegate with Julie Bergin of New York, the groups founder, are working directly with employees of Rockwood Park Middle School, which served approximately 350 - 6^th, 7^th and 8^th grade students every day before the storm hit the East coast in October.    Julie has successfully found volunteers to pair up with many schools throughout the New York and New Jersey coast line to help all schools get back on track to ensure our youth are safe, learning and cared for.  

All donations requested were at the direct request of the educators at Rockwood Park, PS 207 NY.  These are the basic supplies they need to keep the classrooms running smoothly and keep the kids in thier community learning.  

The school supply drive will take place from December 1st - December 30th and all donations can be dropped off at:

All Saints Lutheran Church

630 S. Quentin

Palatine, IL  60067

9:00 AM – 4:30pm Tuesday – Friday December 1^st - 30^th

6:00pm – 8:00pm on Wednesday nights in December during Advent Services

Sunday:  8:00 am – Noon during regular Sunday Services

Monetary donations can be sent to:

All Saints Lutheran Church

630 S. Quentin

Palatine, IL  60067

Attn:  PS 207 NY/DeFranco

All monetary donations will be used to purchase additional needed supplies and to help offset the shipping costs to get the supplies to New York in early January 2013 when the school plans to reopen. 

So...Check your school supply bins, your office stash at home and stores in your area!  Let’s keep these kids learning, help them rebuild their community and get these schools back on track! Requested Supply List for PS 207 – Rockwood Park Middle School in Howard Beach, NY and quantities needed:

• Loose Leaf Paper – 400+ packs
• Black or Blue Pens – 1000
• Highlighters – 400+
• Composition Notebooks  - 400+
• Glue Sticks – 150+
• Post-it Notes – 350 + packs
• Scissors – 350
• Rulers  - 350
• Adhesive Tape – 350 +
• Crayons – 24 Count – 350+
• Colored Pencils – 350+ sets
• Dry erase markers – 350 sets
• Dry erase erasers – 350
• Pencils – 1000
• Pocket Folders – 1000+
• Paper Towels – 350+
• Tissues – 350+
• Construction Paper – 350+ packs
• Protractors – 350+
• Five-Subject Notebooks – 275
• Graph Paper – 350+ packs
• Mini-Staplers – 150
• Pencil Sharpeners – 150+

Currently the students are being hosted by multiple schools in their area and have been split up as a learning community.  In January 2013 they are expected to return to their home school to continue educating the bright children of their own community - together!  Help us start them off on the right foot by donating what you can today! 

If you have questions, please contact Jen DeFranco at jtdefranco@sbcglobal.net or twitter message at: jendefranco