As of 2020, the SUNY’s Got Your Back initiative has fully taken off to not only garner support from our 64 campuses, but in collaborations with public events and entities as well. The SUNY’s Got Your Back comfort bags are an effort to not only to aid individuals in need who visit shelters and hospitals during times of crisis, but to create awareness regarding sexual and domestic violence in New York State. Currently, the program has assembled 100,000 comfort bags that have served 412 agencies across the state. Over 80,000 bags have been delivered to victims and families in need.
The comfort bags consist of many basic toiletries, journals, stress relief toys, and pamphlets for information on seeking further assistance to victims of violence. SUNY’s mission to reach families, mothers, children, and adults in need, has affected thousands of lives through the program, and the rate of growth of the number of bags available has been substantial since the first 10,000 bags were assembled in 2017.
Collaborating with many SUNY campuses, the Got Your Back program has put more focus into spreading the word about their cause with partnerships with well-recognized external entities such as Dicks Sporting Goods, the PGA TOUR, the Aurora Games, and more. This year, SUNY’s Got Your Back has established a new partnership, partnering with the New York Islanders and the NHL to bring the awareness efforts to hockey fans.
One event has been held at the Nassau Coliseum and another one is scheduled at the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn when the Islanders play the Montreal Canadiens on March 3. Here, SUNY alumni will come together to lead the charge of packing comfort bags with the thousands of fans coming to the game and prepare them for distribution to centers across lower New York. Committed to reducing sexual and domestic violence in our community, the Islanders will be donating $10 for every ticket sold as well.
This event marks one of the many collaborations between SUNY’s Got Your Back and partners who wish to join with SUNY in preventing and ending sexual and domestic violence, as well as providing support for victims and survivors.
Discounted tickets for the upcoming event can be found at https://fevo.me/sgyb2020. Help make a difference and join us and the New York Islanders to help victims move forward.
