Montefiore’s Supporting Healthy Relationships (SHR) and HERO Dads programs held their sixth annual backpack giveaway event on Thursday, Aug. 14, at St. James Park, located at 2550 Jerome Ave. in the Fordham section of the Bronx.
Between 200 and 300 free backpacks filled with school supplies were given away to local kids at the event. There were also other items and treats available at the event, including coloring books, toothbrushes, ice cream, juice, water and more. Additionally, prizes were given out to the winners of a raffle.
There were also bonding activities available to families. This extended to Bronx families discussing breaking cycles and forging new connections. Relationship expert and psychologist Traci Maynigo, along with other program staff, helped facilitate these discussions.
In addition to giving away backpacks with school supplies, the event also allowed attendees to receive complementary health screenings for their hearts, kidneys and livers.
The SHR program is a free family strengthening program that is led by psychologists and meant to empower parents and guardians to achieve family success. The psychologists work to help the parents and guardians improve their communication skills, reduce destructive conflict and gain financial stability.
The HERO Dads program, run by Montefiore in partnership with BronxWorks, helps to empower low-income, non-custodial fathers to reach family and financial success. It is led by a team of psychologists, mental health counselors and career development specialists. The number one mission of this program is to help these fathers get to be more involved and nurturing parents to their children, to form and maintain collaborative relationships with the other caregivers of their children and to achieve financial stability.
