Rayonna King, a 6-year-old who will begin second grade this fall, was featured in an NJ.com story about the Back 2 School Store, a pop-up store that sets up shop before each school year to serve economically disadvantaged children in Essex County.
King’s mother, Tangula Brown, is an administrative assistant at Harmony House Early Learning Center, and King was among more than 750 children referred by social service agencies like New Community to participate in the Back 2 School Store, which is organized by the National Council of Jewish Women, Essex County Section. New Community and about 35 different agencies played a role in referring families in need to the program.
Each child, including King, received a backpack, school supplies, clothing and a pair of shoes, among other items, and were individually escorted through the 4,000-square-foot store by a personal shopper. Parents and caregivers, like Brown, received information on health care, education and other community services at a resource fair set up outside the store. Read more of the story by Jessica Mazzola on NJ.com.
