WESTWOOD, N.J. (WCBS 880) — The pandemic has forced students all over the Tri-State to adjust to remote learning, but many still don’t have the resources to properly.
One of the biggest needs for many remains to be desks and Habitat for Humanity of Bergen County is stepping up to help as part of its new and growing program, Desks 4 Homes.
Teri Capparelli, with the group says the program started off when they noticed several families coming in each day, asking for desks for their children.
“It just bothered me so much that we weren't able to help these families because we didn't have the desk that they needed,” Capparelli said.
The non-profit decided to step up and help, producing desks for students in need.
Over the last few weeks, they made 12 desks for children in the Bergen County area.
The tables are all built by a group of retired workers that call themselves the “Grey Heads.” The wooden desks are then given to schools that work with the organization to send them to the right families.
“We are looking forward to eventually, in the spring time, having some schools and parents become involved with this in doing more builds of the desks outside, because we do have a facility outside where we could build there,” Capparelli said.
The goal is also to eventually give chairs and other school supplies to students in need, in addition to the desks.