Groups invest in kids’ health and well-being by providing free backpacks, school supplies, books, haircuts and COVID-19 vaccines
Schenectady, NY — August 18, 2021 — MVP Health Care, CAP COM Federal Credit Union, and the City of Schenectady today announced that they will host a free back-to-school event at Jerry Burrel Park in Schenectady from 11:00a.m to 3:00p.m on August 28, 2021. More than 1,500 backpacks filled will with essential school supplies and books will be distributed to kids of all ages.
“A child’s education is a significant social determinant of health that can have great influence over the course of their lifetime,” said Christopher Del Vecchio, president and CEO at MVP Health Care. “By equipping them with basic tools they need for school – backpacks, school supplies, books, haircuts, and the vaccines they are eligible for – MVP Health Care is helping to set them on the path to success. By working with key community partners like CAP COM and the City of Schenectady, we can help to build up the next generation – and in this case, directly support the education and wellness of 1,500 local kids.”
Each backpack will include school supplies like pencils, pens, erasers, highlighters, a pencil pouch, and an age-appropriate book. The giveaway event will also offer back-to-school haircuts vouchers provided by Paul Mitchell Hair School in Schenectady in 25 randomly marked backpacks. Additionally, COVID-19 vaccines will be available onsite to children over the age of 12 with parent or guardian consent.
“The CAP COM Cares Foundation couldn’t be more pleased to provide 1,500 kids with essential school supplies as they head back to school this year,” says Christopher McKenna, president and CEO at CAP COM. “As an organization, we’re on a mission to make a positive impact on our communities. Partnering with MVP Health Care and the City of Schenectady came naturally as we considered ways to support children and their families at this time.”
“As children return to in-person school this Fall, some for the first time since the start of the pandemic, it is more important than ever that they are equipped with essential supplies, setting them up for a successful year ahead,” said Gary McCarthy, Mayor of the City of Schenectady. “By partnering with MVP and CAP COM, we are able to support children and their families as they transition into a very important academic year.”
For more information on the event visit, www.cityofschenectady.com.
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About MVP Health Care
MVP Health Care is a nationally recognized, not-for-profit health insurer caring for members in New York and Vermont. Committed to the complete well-being of our members and the communities we serve, MVP makes health insurance more convenient, more supportive, and more personal. For more information visit www.mvphealthcare.com or on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
About CAP COM Federal Credit Union
CAP COM is a member-owned financial institution based in the Capital Region of New York State, with more than $2 billion in assets and 12 branch locations. The credit union was established in 1953 and has more than 140,000 members. CAP COM is member-driven and focused on superior service, convenient products and competitive rates. Federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration.
About the City of Schenectady
Schenectady is a city rich in history and accomplishment. It was here where Thomas Edison founded what would become the General Electric Company, where George Westinghouse invented the rotary engine and air brakes, where the American Locomotive Works once made virtually every steam and diesel locomotive to pull passengers and move freight across our country, and where New York State’s first historic district, the Stockade, was named. Once known as the City that Lights and Hauls the World, Schenectady today is poised for a new generation of growth and opportunity. Throughout its 300 year history, Schenectady has proved to be a city of remarkable resiliency and renewal.