Preparing NYCHA Students to Move into College
During the month of August, many students head to college for their first experience living away from home. For 40 NYCHA residents, the transition to independent college living was eased after receiving the gift of some essentials items that transform a dorm room into a comfortable new home.
The 40 NYCHA college students received duffel bags packed with wireless earbuds, a portable speaker, portable charger, flash drive, extension cord, shower caddy, comforter, sheet set, pillow, towel, pop-up hamper, reusable water bottle, and more.
The duffel bags were provided thanks to Project Move-In Day, an initiative led by NYC Service to provide college and university-bound students from high-need communities with necessary supplies to help them transition to living in dormitories or off-campus housing. NYCHA students were chosen via an application process beginning in early summer.
Jamir Person was one of the 40 NYCHA residents selected to receive a duffel bag. He will soon be leaving his Bronx development to begin his freshman year at North Carolina A&T State University. He’s looking forward to meeting new people and building lifelong connections in college. “I feel pretty good to be selected to get a duffel bag because I know many people applied for it, and to be chosen out of many is a blessing. My favorite item in the duffel bag is the large extension cord; it has so many outlets.”
The New York Yankees, a sponsor of Project Move-In Day, hosted a distribution event on August 5 at the stadium and provided each recipient with tickets to an upcoming game. Additionally, thanks to a partnership with the Public Housing Community Fund, each recipient also received $25 Lyft gift cards, and 10 students won a raffle prize of a MacBook donated by Supreme clothing brand.
Trinity Escoto, a Manhattan NYCHA resident, will be a freshman at Penn State University this fall studying criminal justice and criminology. “It felt really good to be chosen to receive the duffel bag,” she said. “I felt that some weight was lifted off of my shoulders knowing that I was able to receive some college essentials free of charge. My favorite item was the portable charger because I always have my phone on me, and I feel reassured when I know I have enough battery to get me through my daily tasks. I’m very grateful, though I am a bit nervous to start college soon – but I’m also very excited to meet new people and to decorate my room. I am also looking forward to practicing more independence and responsibility as a young adult.”
If you, your child, or family member will be starting college in 2025 and are interested in receiving updates about next year’s Project Move-In Day opportunity for NYCHA residents, please complete this short form: https://forms.office.com/g/me4TWVggVP.