Mayor Zohran Mamdani joins elected officials, community leaders and NYPD representatives to support local children and families
Sadia J. Choudhury:
— BHALO hosted its Back-to-School Community Giveaway on Thursday, August 27, at 2:00 p.m. at Major Mark Park, 173–175 Hillside Ave, Jamaica, NY 11432, bringing together community leaders, elected officials, law enforcement representatives, volunteers and families in support of local children ahead of the new school year.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani joined the community gathering, demonstrating his support for children, families and grassroots efforts focused on helping students begin the academic year prepared and confident.
The event brought together representatives from City Hall and the Mayor’s Office, including Mehedi Hassan of the Mayor’s Office of Mass Engagement (OME), Mir Bashar, Chief Administrative Officer at City Hall, Commissioner Alden Foster, Fred Kraisman, and Nabila Parkes.
The NYPD’s 103rd Precinct also provided support to help ensure the event was safe and successful. Organizers expressed special appreciation to Inspector King, Sergeant Faison, and Detective Jones for their assistance.
A number of elected officials and community representatives also participated in the event, including Deputy Speaker Nantasha Williams, Assemblywoman Alicia Hyndman, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, Finance Chair Linda Lee, and representatives from Council Member Shekar Krishnan’s Office.
At the center of the event were the children and families who came to receive school supplies and support as they prepared for the upcoming academic year. The giveaway was designed to help ease some of the financial burden associated with returning to school while ensuring that students have essential resources to start the year on a positive note.
Community leaders emphasized that programs such as BHALO’s Back-to-School Giveaway are about more than distributing school supplies. They reflect a broader commitment to investing in children and strengthening connections among families, community organizations, elected officials, law enforcement and volunteers.
The gathering highlighted the power of collective community action and the importance of ensuring that every child has the opportunity to enter the new school year feeling supported, prepared and ready to succeed.
BHALO’s initiative demonstrated once again that when a community comes together around its children, the impact reaches far beyond a single event—helping build confidence, opportunity and a stronger future for the next generation.
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