Leake & Watts Backpack Drive Continues

Last year, parents spent $103 on average for school supplies, according to the National Retail Federation -- but many low-income families do not have $103 to spare. The Yonkers-based nonprofit Leake & Watts is trying to make the season easier, with its annual backpack drive, until Aug. 12. "It's such a small thing to do, but it means the world to these children and their families," explains Meredith Barber, senior director of institutional advancement at Leake & Watts, which supports 11,000 children, adults and families in the New York metro area.