With help of local teen, Longport Police to donate 161 backpacks to children in Atlantic County

NanetteG

Provided Longport Police/Olivia are Patrolmen Dean Tibbitt and Josh Sikoryak.

LONGPORT - Giving back is nothing new for Olivia Stone, 14, a freshman at Ocean City High School, who, for the third year running, helped the Longport Police Department collect school supplies valued at more than $5,000. Her efforts have increased from her first school supply drive in 2019, when $1,500 worth of notebooks, pens and crayons were donated.

Olivia Stone with the school supplies she collected.

On Sunday, Aug. 29, the Longport Police was able to put together 161 backbacks filled with all the necessities needed for a successful start of the school year for students across Atlantic County.

"Olivia's philanthropic work at such a young age is incredibly admirable," Public Information Officer Sgt. Ray Burgan said in a Facebook post. "Over the last few years our department has had the opportunity to watch Olivia grow and become an amazing example of stewardship within her community."

Olivia Stone delivered school supplies to the Longport Police Department Aug. 28 for delivery to needy children in Atlantic County.

Police Chief Frank Culmone called Stone an "amazing" young woman.

"...the depth of this donation shows how deep she can reach within herself year after year. The sacrifice that she makes with her time shows that she is something special," he said in the post.

Stone said previously that she was motivated to do the collection while shopping for her own school supplies. Stone, then age 12, said she overheard a family whispering that they were not able to afford their child's supplies.

I felt so bad for them and wanted to buy them the school supplies that they needed, she said. "I know a lot of kids struggle, and without basic school supplies it is even harder for them to learn than it already is.

https://www.downbeach.com/2021/08/05/local-teen-collaborates-with-the-longport-police-department/