(Courtesy of Cross River Bank) Cross River Bank (“Cross River”), a New Jersey financial institution known for its extensive collaboration with local community organizations, partnered with Thomas Jefferson Middle School (TJMS) in Teaneck and the Dr. Jacqueline Peek-Davis Elementary School/P.S. 12 in Brooklyn to provide students from grades Pre-K through 8 with school supplies.

“One of our top priorities at Cross River is finding new ways to serve the community,” said Phil Goldfeder, senior vice president for public affairs at Cross River. “There are far too many students who don’t have the necessary supplies to thrive in school. As a team, Cross River was happy to come together to provide students with the resources they need.”

Over the summer, Cross River initiated a program with its employees to collect school supplies, and then committed to matching a percentage of the donations. The supply drive resulted in the collection of more than 1,000 items such as folders, pencils, pens, rulers, crayons, markers, glue sticks, notebooks and more. On Wednesday, volunteers from Cross River delivered boxes of supplies to students in grades 5 through 8 at Thomas Jefferson Middle School in Teaneck and students in grades Pre-K through 5 at the Dr. Jacqueline Peek-Davis Elementary School/P.S. 12 in Brooklyn.

“The TJMS faculty, staff, students and families are grateful for Cross River’s support and to the donors and volunteers who have contributed towards our students’ academic success,” said Principal Nina Odatella of TJMS.

“On behalf of the Dr. Jacqueline Peek–Davis Elementary School, I would like to express our deepest gratitude to Cross River for the generous donation of school supplies. The donation will contribute greatly to the academic success of our students,” said Principal Shamika Watson of the Dr. Jacqueline Peek–Davis Elementary School. “A huge thanks to Cross River for being the true embodiment of our school’s motto, ‘Together We Aspire, Together We Achieve.’”

As a New Jersey state-chartered community bank, Cross River recognizes the importance of inclusion and giving back to the community. Cross River’s school supply drive aided in removing barriers to education by ensuring students can focus on learning rather than being held back by circumstances out of their control. This comes on the heels of Cross River’s financial literacy events earlier this year, and the company’s community service initiative, which included building with Habitat for Humanity, teaching financial education to local students, organizing emergency supply drives and sponsoring local events.