Suffolk Sheriff's Office Hosting Backpack Giveaway With EJ's PJs Before Local Kids Head Back To School

MIDDLE ISLAND —It's that time of year again — back to school.

To make sure that the county's children are prepared for the school year, Suffolk's Sheriff's office is teaming up with EJ's PJs for a backpack giveaway in Yaphank on Monday.

The event is open to all Suffolk residents and will kick off outside of the Yaphank Correctional Facility, located at 200 Glover Drive, at 2 p.m. and run until 6 p.m.

It is first-come, first-serve, rain or shine, and children must be present to receive a backpack.

Children in attendance will receive a backpack filled with various school supplies, as well as a pair of pajamas courtesy of EJ’s PJs, and other giveaways.

The START Resource Center assists formerly incarcerated individuals and their families with connections to reentry support, including services for mental health and drug abuse, assistance with obtaining documentation and employment, as well as food, clothing, and more.

Since Sheriff Errol Toulon launched the program in 2020, it has seen tremendous results, with the recidivism rate of those participating landing at nearly half of the state's average.