By Alexandra Moyen

ASTORIA — Catholic Charities Brooklyn & Queens knows how to party at the same that it helps get kids ready for school.

On Aug. 2, it hosted its 11th annual “Kids Fun Day” at Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Astoria, where it had games and activities for children, distributed school supplies and offered free products and medical services from vendors. More than 1,400 attended the block party-style event.

“There is a need in the community,” Debbie Hampson, CCBQ’s director of Community Program Services, said. “We were getting a lot of requests for backpacks and school supplies, so this was a way for us to give it out to the community in addition to giving out resources to the community as well.”

Children enjoyed an inflatable maze and face painting, while parents collected school supplies. Families were also able to receive medical services from sponsoring organizations. Among the free services and products offered: blood pressure screenings from The Floating Hospital, dental screenings from Healthplex Dental and child safety IDs from New York Life Insurance Co.

Mr. Met, Sandy the Seagull of the Brooklyn Cyclones and Johnny Thunderbird of St. John’s University, Jamaica, were also on hand.

Anwara Prapty, 11, said she came with her mother, Saima Shima, to have fun.

“I like being with the community and joining community events,” Anwara said. “All around, gathering everyone, it’s really fun.”

Anwara packed her bookbag with a ruler, a book, coloring pages, highlighters and other items.   

“This is a fabulous event, and what’s exciting is how many people show up and are excited about it,” Hampson said. “We start getting calls in April asking, ‘When is Kids Fun Day?’ It’s really become a community event that people look forward to every year.”

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Alexandra Moyen is an intern at DeSales Media Group.