ASSEMBLYMEMBER RIVERA ANNOUNCES SECOND ANNUAL CRAYON DRIVE IN SUPPORT OF THE NATIONAL CRAYON RECYCLE PROGRAM
Jonathan Rivera
Donations of unwanted, unused crayons will be recycled into new ones and distributed to students in need
BUFFALO, NY – With a new school year quickly approaching, Assemblymember Rivera is proud to announce the continuation of a now annual Crayon Drive event aimed at collecting broken or unused crayons, recycling them, and getting these essential school supplies back into the hands of students as they prepare to head back to classrooms.
Drop off your unwanted or broken crayons and the National Crayon Recycle Program will turn them into new ones. Unfortunately, most crayons end up in landfills. Crayons are made of paraffin wax, a petroleum by-product, that is not biodegradable. In the U.S. alone, more than 60 million crayons are discarded each year. That is over 500,000 pounds of waxy sludge that won’t decompose, creating environmental hazards across the country.
From August 19-28, donations can be dropped off at:
Buffalo Office of Assemblymember Rivera — 65 Grant St., Buffalo, NY 14213
Hamburg Office of Assemblymember Rivera — 40 Main St., Lower Back Entrance, Hamburg, NY 14075
The Belle Center —104 Maryland St., Buffalo, NY 14201
Village of Hamburg Youth Center — 258-192 Prospect Ave., Hamburg, NY 14075
For many households, the cost of supplies for a new school year can pose a significant financial burden. Families with children in elementary through high school plan to spend an average of $874.68 on clothing, shoes, electronics and school supplies for the 2024-25 school year, according to the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics' annual survey.
Assemblymember Rivera’s goal is to alleviate that burden for the households which are most vulnerable to inflationary supplies costs. This community initiative will reinforce both the importance of environmental sustainability and the need to provide children with a bedrock for a successful academic future.
A successful inaugural year for the Crayon Drive in 2023 saw nearly 15 pounds of crayons collected, all of which were turned into new crayons by the National Crayon Recycle Program.
For questions or information regarding the Crayon Drive, call Assemblymember Rivera’s office at 716-885-9630 or email riverajd@nyassembly.gov.
To learn more about the National Recycle Program, visit nationalcrayonrecycleprogram.org/.
Assemblymember Jon D. Rivera said, “No student should ever go into a new school year unprepared to learn as a result of an economic disadvantage. This crayon drive is one small way that our community can come together in order to make a big difference in a young student’s life. By providing our youngest scholars with the educational materials they need, we can set them on a trajectory toward a brighter future.”
Lucy Candelario, Executive Director of the Belle Center, said, “The Belle Center is happy to take part in this double win — a win for children and their families faced with the high cost of back to school supplies, and a win for the environment. We thank Assemblymember Jon Rivera for his support in this initiative.”
Josh Haeick, Recreation Supervisor for the Village of Hamburg, said, “Our department has a rich history of supporting collaborative and regional efforts that benefit the greater good of our WNY community. Helping families lessen their financial burden as school approaches, while lessening our planet’s burden of waste are both things we can get behind.”
Citations 1 - https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/shopping/2024/07/25/back-to-school-supplies-costs2024/745160860