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Contact:
Office of Council Member Pierina Sanchez
Media team: d14media@council.nyc.gov
(347)590-2874

 GARDINER FOUNDATION, COUNCIL MEMBER PIERINA SANCHEZ HOST BACK TO SCHOOL GIVEAWAY AND BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

Bronx, NY – Councilmember Pierina Sanchez, in collaboration with the Gardiner Foundation, hosted the organization’s 19^th annual basketball classic and back-to-school giveaway at St. James Park. The event served over 700 families and consisted of giving away 700 backpacks, 5 scholarships, and school technology.

The Gardiner Foundation helps families struck by tragedy by providing memorial and bereavement assistance and offering mentorship and scholarship opportunities. Over the 19 years that it has held this event, the organization has given out 13,000 backpacks to children for the back-to-school season.

“It is highly important that our students are prepared for the school year, and since 2006, the Gardiner Foundation has ensured that thousands of families are ready to go with essential school supplies before September. I thank Dexter Gardiner, his family and the Gardiner Foundation for turning their powerful personal story into such a source of empowerment for our community, we are so much better for their continued commitment to our community and our youth,” said Council Member Pierina Sanchez

“19 years ago, I started the Gardiner Foundation to bring a force-for-change in the community that raised me, prioritizing investments toward stopping violence and uplifting our youth in meaningful ways. In 2006, I suffered the tragic loss of six family members in a single car accident on the Bronx River Parkway. Sadly, my mother and youngest sister also died that year, which meant I lost a total of eight family members in one year. Instead of allowing my grief to consume me, I opted to turn toward advocacy to bring positive changes to the Bronx, such as the construction of barriers along the Bronx River Parkway to protect drivers and prevent tragedies like the one I experienced. The Gardiner Foundation was started to actively engage with stakeholders every year to provide crucial resources to our most vulnerable community members, all while promoting a culture of safety and well-being. The 19^th Annual Basketball Classic and Back-to-School Giveaway at St. James Park marks another year of the Gardiner Foundation’s continuous investment in the holistic well-being of our community. I thank CM Sanchez for her support since she entered office, and for being a staunch ally as we continue to fulfill our mission of providing quality support to families struck by tragedy and offering impactful mentorship to the youth of our community,” said Dexter Gardiner, Founder and Executive Director of The Gardiner Foundation.

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