Bronx Foundation Gives 600 Students Free Back-to-School Help

Sometimes the difference between struggling and thriving comes down to a backpack and the belief that someone cares about your success.

The Bronx Community Foundation made sure 600 students had exactly that this August. The organization hosted two back-to-school giveaways on August 27 and 28, distributing backpacks, school supplies, and technology resources to families across the borough.

The first event took place at Mott Haven Houses, where the foundation partnered with Assemblywoman Amanda Septimo. The next day, they teamed up with local groups BRAG and Bronx Spreading Love for a second giveaway in Co-op City.

For Executive Director LaToya Williams-Belfort, this work hits close to home. She grew up in the northeast Bronx and became the first person in her family to attend college.

"Growing up in the Bronx, I saw hardworking, talented families encounter barriers that had nothing to do with their ambition or potential," Williams-Belfort said. "Now, as a mother of two sons who were born in the Bronx, I want them and every young person in this borough to have an equitable opportunity to build a life that feels successful, secure and joyful."

Williams-Belfort took the helm in November 2025 after 20 years leading nonprofits, including serving as inaugural executive director for the Fifteen Percent Pledge. She calls her current role a homecoming.

The Ripple Effect

The backpack giveaways represent just one piece of the foundation's broader mission. Since twin brothers Derrick and Desmon Lewis founded the organization in 2017, it has delivered more than $15 million in grants and reached approximately 175,000 Bronx residents.

The foundation works differently than most nonprofits. Instead of providing direct services, it funds and strengthens local organizations already embedded in Bronx neighborhoods.

"Unlike a direct service organization, we can support many nonprofits and community leaders working on the ground while also helping them strengthen their capacity, build partnerships and plan for long term sustainability," Williams-Belfort explained.

The foundation has partnered with dozens of local groups, from the Mosholu Montefiore Community Center to Nazareth Housing. They've also teamed up with national nonprofit LIFT to provide digital literacy training and laptops to Bronx families.

Councilman Kevin Riley, who represents northeast Bronx neighborhoods and attended the Co-op City event, praised the foundation's ongoing commitment. Assemblywoman Septimo echoed that sentiment in an Instagram post: "A new backpack, school supplies, a little extra support – sometimes those things can make a big difference for a family."

Williams-Belfort believes the Bronx has never lacked talent, creativity or resilience, just equitable access to resources. By investing in community leaders who understand their neighborhoods best, the foundation helps build lasting change that stays in the Bronx.

Six hundred students started this school year a little more prepared and a lot more supported.