North Shore Hispanic Chamber of Commerce helps students get ready for school year

The North Shore Hispanic Chamber of Commerce distributed more than 100 backpacks and school supplies to children in need during its fifth annual backpack giveaway at North Shore High School on Saturday.

The event has become an anticipated community tradition since the chamber first organized the giveaway five years ago. Connie Pinilla, president of the North Shore Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, said the organization initially had no plans to make the giveaway an annual event.

“Well, it was something we thought that was needed then.” Pinilla reminisced. “We said, ‘let’s just do it.’ We never had a plan to keep doing it.” 

The chamber ultimately distributed more than 125 backpacks, according to Pinilla. The backpacks included notebooks, pencils and crayons, providing children with supplies for the upcoming school year.

The chamber also committed 25 backpacks to the Economic Opportunity Comission of Glen Cove and provided 20 backpacks to a pastor who distributes them through a church in Queens.

Pinilla said the giveaway has developed a reputation among local families and organizations, with some contacting her weeks before the event to ask when it would take place.

“It’s gotten a wonderful reputation, and the people expect it,” Pinilla said. “We’d feel bad if we didn’t do it.”

The backpacks are funded through sponsorships, with Pinilla reaching out to the chamber’s network about six weeks before the event.

While the chamber has received donated backpacks in previous years, this year’s supplies were purchased using sponsorship money.

Sponsors for this year’s event included the Kiwanis of North Shore, Care First Home Solutions, the Spivack Family and the Connie Pinilla Team at Compass. The chamber also sponsored the EOC Back to School Event.

Pinilla said seeing children choose their own backpacks is what motivates her to continue organizing the giveaway.

“When they come up to the table to pick their backpack,” Pinilla said, “you can just see their light… and how happy they are to pick up the backpack they’re going to use for their whole year.” 

The chamber thanked North Shore High School administration for providing the venue for the event.