Office Depot Foundation National Backpack Program

One of the things I dread each year is purchasing school supplies. Mostly because they’re hard to find, but also partly because the prices can really add up. We all know how important an education is, and that it’s important to do everything we can help our children get educated. It’s saddening to know that there are children out there who, on their own, aren’t even able to have some of the simplest school supplies due to financial reasons. The Office Depot Foundation is trying to help fight that problem with their National Backpack Program. here’s some details on the program, in their words.

If you put together all three million children that the Office Depot Foundation has helped in the 13 years of its National Backpack Program, they would fill every National Football League stadium plus half the Major League Baseball stadiums – with kids to spare!

This year, the Foundation, which serves as the independent charitable giving arm of Office Depot® (NYSE:ODP), will donate 300,000 sackpacks containing essential school supplies to deserving children in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and internationally. By the end of 2013, Office Depot and the Office Depot Foundation will have donated more than three million backpacks and sackpacks since the inception of the program in 2001.

“In keeping with our mission – Listen Learn Care – we are committed to making a difference in children’s lives by giving them tools to help them succeed in school and, ultimately, in life,” says Office Depot Foundation President Mary Wong. “We are thrilled to know that we will reach our three millionth child this year, and grateful to Office Depot and our many supporters for giving us the opportunity to continue this program for its 13th year.

The specially designed sackpacks come in six different color combinations with kid-friendly graphics. Each one includes a zippered pouch containing a pen, pencil, pencil sharpener, eraser, six-inch ruler and four crayons. They do not have any Office Depot Foundation or Office Depot logos or markings.

To place the sackpacks into children’s hands, the Foundation is hosting 25 Back-to-School Celebrations in cities across the U.S. and in Puerto Rico. Three of these events – in Los Angeles, Fort Lauderdale and New York − will feature appearances by award-winning actor, comedian and host of “America’s Got Talent” Nick Cannon.

Thousands of sackpacks are being given to kids through the Office Depot Foundation’s continuing partnerships with 10 nonprofit organizations serving children nationally and internationally. The Foundation is collaborating with the AARP Experience Corps, Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA), the National Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Association, Feed The Children, Food For The Poor, the Kids In Need Foundation, Zach Bonner’s Little Red Wagon Foundation, the National Foundation for Women Legislators, Operation Homefront and Samaritan’s Feet International.

Thousands more are being donated through Office Depot stores in hundreds of local communities and in partnership with Office Depot’s Business Solutions Division in select cities. For the sixth consecutive year, children of the Navajo Nation in Arizona will receive sackpacks.

More information about the National Backpack Program can be found on the Office Depot Foundation’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/officedepotfoundation. To learn more about the Office Depot Foundation and its initiatives, go to www.officedepotfoundation.org/. You can follow the Foundation on Twitter at www.twitter.com/officedepotfndn; the National Backpack Program’s hashtag is #OfficeDepotFndnKids.

About the Office Depot Foundation

The Office Depot Foundation is an independent foundation − tax exempt under IRC Sec. 501(c)(3) − that serves as the independent charitable giving arm of Office Depot, Inc. In keeping with its mission, Listen Learn Care®, the Foundation supports a variety of programs that give children tools to succeed in school and in life; build the capacity of non-profit organizations through collaboration and innovation; and help communities prepare for disasters, as well as recovering and rebuilding afterwards. For more information, visit www.officedepotfoundation.org.