Waldbaum's School Supply Initiative Aids Deer Park Families

The Waldbaum’s supermarket in Deer Park recently put together $8 bags of school supplies for its patrons to purchase as donations for needy families in the school district.

The four-day initiative involved all Waldbaum’s stores across Nassau and Suffolk counties, giving community members the opportunity to benefit their local school districts.

After collecting approximately $1,000 in donated school supplies, Waldbaum’s representative Joe Fabbio delivered the supplies to Deer Park High School social worker Barbara Charity.

“Waldbaum’s are always there for us with everything we do,” said Charity, who noted the many of the high school’s students have gained valuable employment experience working in the supermarket. Once the supplies are sorted, Charity and Deer Park’s team of social workers will decide how the supplies are distributed district wide.

The donation process was facilitated by volunteer Debbie Leon, a member of the Deer Park Board of Education’s Special Education Committee who also serves as treasurer of the Robert Frost Middle School PFC.

“We are all parents and grandparents, we know what it’s like,” said Fabbio, who has served as store manager of the Deer Park Waldbaum’s for the past four years. “We are part of the community so we try to give back.”

He credited the store’s loyal customers for their generosity.

“They’re the ones who really did it,” he said.

Photo by Deer Park School District: Deer Park High School social worker Barbara Charity, Waldbaum’s store manager Joe Fabbio and community volunteer Debbie Leon facilitated the donation of more than $1,000 worth of school supplies for district students.