Westbury mom collects school supplies for kids in need

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It began with a Facebook post last September 2017 when Allyson Benowitz, of Westbury, saw a concern made public by Nicole Hock, of Salisbury, who teaches at a Queens Middle School for low income families.

“There was a teacher in September who had said she was looking for notebooks,” Benowitz said, speaking of Hock. “I had contacted her and said, you know every year the kids come home with notebooks that had two pages, three pages written in them and instead of throwing them in the garbage, would she be interested in taking them even though they are considered used and she said that would be fantastic.”

Benowitz spoke to other moms in the district and they all agreed that is was a shame that notebooks are thrown out just because of a few used pages. Afterwards, Benowitz turned her concern into action by posting on a couple of Facebook groups, joined by local members of the community.

The post, made public in the Facebook group “Nice Things That Happen in East Meadow,” read as follows: “Parents of elementary school students you know this is the time of year when we get back those notebooks that are half used or only have a few pages used! I’m collecting them for a Salisbury resident who is a teacher and every September she is in need of notebooks for her students. This is a great way to recycle and teach our kids a small lesson too! If you would like to help please cut out the used pages. I will come and pick them up and deliver to her in July.”

Benowitz has since received close to one hundred of new and lightly used notebooks, crayons, two knapsacks and other school supplies. Boxes in Benowitz’s home are currently filled with the supplies, awaiting Hock’s pick-up.