New ROCKET Project Supply Closet Opens
Pictured are, left to right, Dr. Jill Murray, Lackawanna College President; Theresa Scopelliti, ROCKET Project founder; Lisa Swartz, Scranton School District and Stephanie Decker, Lackawanna College Associate VP of Social and Economic Impact.
Today, Lackawanna College Registrar’s Office Connecting Kids with Educational Tools (ROCKET) Project cut the ribbon on a supply closet, a store environment where local K-12 educators, school staff and nonprofit organizations can shop for much-needed school supplies for free.
Located in Healey Hall at the College’s main campus in Scranton, the revamped program includes a website with an online ordering system. The supply closet, paired with the website, will allow teachers to order supplies and pick them up in a COVID-safe setting.
Since 2010, the ROCKET project has distributed nearly 5,000 backpacks filled with school supplies to local elementary schools, serving 3,800 children across northeastern Pennsylvania.
“The Lackawanna College ROCKET Project is an extension of our social impact goals. This project has been in existence since 2009 and we are proud to continue this tremendous initiative with our largest local district,” said Dr. Jill Murray, Lackawanna College President. “The supply closet ensures that elementary school children will have the tools they need to succeed and will continue to have access to educational pathways.”
The ROCKET Project’s website and ordering system was developed by web development and hosting startup, Machi-Systems. Machi-Systems is also a client of the College’s business incubator, the Venture Lab.
Educators, school staff and non-profit organizations can request access to shop the ROCKET Project Supply closet at https://lcrocketproject.org/