More than 200 New Hyde Park Northwell Health employee volunteers gathered together for a marathon book bag packing session on Aug. 9 to get school-age children off to the right start.

During a packing session held in one of Northwell’s garage facilities, Ines Vanboom, assistant vice president, corporate social responsibility, estimated that the drive would result in over a ton of supplies that would fill 20 pallets. Northwell and the non-profit Supplies for Success purchased back-to-school necessities, such as pens and pencils, paper and notebooks, crayons, magic markers, hand sanitizer and hand wipes. This year, five hundred book bags will be donated to Northwell families who expressed a need.

“In an effort to get school-age children off to the right start, our employees are proud to hold this annual book bag packing event,” Vanboom said. “Now in our fourth year, it continues to be our belief that every child has the right to succeed.”

All the supplies will be distributed to families who cannot afford them. Supplies will be donated to needy students in Queens, Manhattan, Nassau and Suffolk counties, Staten Island and Westchester County.

Along with the essential supplies, the final item placed in each bag was a hand-written, inspirational note by the staff member who packed it. At the bottom of their bags, students will find messages that say, “Have a wonderful school year,” “You can do it” and “Enjoy.”

Vanboom and Mindy Richenstein, founder and president of Supplies for Success, said that the motto of the day was “help kids in need succeed.”