Whoever said “necessity is the mother of invention” was right on target. Dan Messer of Alpine was in desperate need of assistance when, last summer, he was appointed to accompany his then 13-year-old daughter Isabella to the pharmacy to buy necessary products for summer camp. After a frustrating 90 minutes floating from aisle to aisle, Messer still hadn’t completed the list.
“It was not my favorite choice for a Sunday afternoon activity,” admits Messer. “To add to the nightmare, we had to then painstakingly label every item and hope the liquids would not open en route to camp and spill all over the clothing.”
From this shopping excursion, a new app has emerged. Messer, along with wife Alisa, are offering a service available through their app, “Bunk Supplies & Beyond.” Recently launched, the app allows users to purchase all of their camper’s toiletries from an extensive list of well-regarded products. The estimated time for filling a girl’s list is just 15 minutes, and 10 minutes for boys. The selected items are then labeled clearly, with waterproofed markings when needed, packaged and sealed at a fulfillment center in Teterboro, and shipped either to the home of the purchaser or directly to the camp. Within the package is a tote bag with the “Bunk Supplies & Beyond” logo that can be used to transport items. “Bunk Supplies & Beyond” is offering parents a luxury service at normal drugstore pricing.
Another convenience offered by the app is that if, after one week in camp, it becomes necessary to ship additional items, the account can be easily accessed and the additional products quickly shipped to the camper.
Prior to his first camp season, Messer has already contacted a multitude of camps as well as the majority of Jewish sleepaway camps, many of which are going to be participating in the project, making shipping directly to camp a perfect option for parents. Messer has approached schools, Jewish organizations and synagogues as well as child-related charities with an offer to join the program in exchange for a percentage of the profits to be shared with their organization.
SCOPE USA, whose mission is to provide a free camping experience for youngsters whose parents are not able to provide one for them, is one of the many beneficiaries of the app.
Messer wants the community to know that “we are looking for additional charities, synagogues, schools and other institutions to use our app as a fundraiser.”
As “Bunk Supplies & Beyond” gets up and running, look for a Nut-Free Organic Section, coming soon, which will provide choices of appropriate products for nut-free diets and camps.
A man who has a mission of “giving back,” Messer, who also carries the distinction of being the brother-in-law of former Englewood Mayor Michael Wildes, sees his app as a way of making a difference and leveling the playing field for children who cannot afford the special experience that summer camps offer. Even before its first season, Messer’s app has been voted #1 on the Best Camp Apps for Bunk Supplies.
Please download the app at “Bunksupplies” in the Apple app store or through Google Play. You can also contact Dan Messer directly at 917-685-9111. All orders that come in by May 31 will receive a 10 percent discount. When ordering, use the discount code “jl.”
By Pearl Markovitz
