State Senator Suzanne Chun Oakland, District 13, members of the Hawaii State Legislature, and The Office Depot Foundation are pleased to announce that the following schools and organizations have been chosen to receive backpacks containing essential school supplies as part of the Foundation’s Ninth Annual National Backpack Program in partnership with the National Foundation for Women Legislators (NFWL):
Kaunakakai
Hana
Lanai
St. Theresa
Pauoa Elementary
Kalihi Waena
Kaiulani
Kaewai Schools
Auwaiolimu (Papakolea) Congregational Church
Congregational Church of Wahiawa
Waikane Congregational Church
Waimanalo Congregational Church
Ewa Beach Boys and Girls Club
Lighthouse Out Reach Program
There will be a gathering on Thursday, 13 August 2009 at 9:00 a.m. at the Hawaii State Capitol, in front of the auditorium, where a formal presentation of the backpacks will occur.
“This is an extremely beneficial program,” said Chun Oakland. “I am honored that members of the Legislature have the opportunity to present these backpacks to deserving students. As we have seen the economy fluctuate over the last year, many parents have struggled to figure out how they will be able to purchase supplies for their children. As another school year begins, public-private partnerships like this are even more important. As Hawaii’s NFWL Education Team Leader, I must commend the Office Depot Foundation on its efforts to make children’s lives easier when it comes to having basic school supplies, which many of us take for granted.”
This year, Office Depot and the Office Depot Foundation are celebrating the donation of the 2 millionth backpack since this program began in 2001. NFWL has been partnering with the backpack program for four years and this year, the Office Depot Foundation will provide the National Foundation for Women Legislators with more than 18,000 backpacks for distribution by women elected officials in all 50 states.
The Office Depot Foundation will also donate backpacks to children in partnership with the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, the National Court Appointed Special Advocates Association (CASA), the Kids In Need Foundation, City Year, Nourish America, Feed the Children and the Tony Stewart Foundation. These organizations focus on education, domestic abuse, national disaster relief and other vital issues and will assist in distributing backpacks to children across the country and internationally.
“Children who are poor or abused, or families who have suffered through a natural disaster do not need to worry about the stigma of not having school supplies,” said Chun Oakland. “This is a wonderful program and I look forward to working with the Office Depot Foundation in the future on behalf of the National Foundation for Women Legislators.”
The 2009 backpacks come in five different color schemes, blending orange, blue, red, purple, green and pink. Specially designed to meet the needs of students in grades K-5, the backpacks feature two front pockets and wide, padded straps for comfort and support. Each backpack includes a pencil pouch containing essential back-to-school items a ruler, four crayons, a glue stick, a pen, a pencil, a pencil sharpener and an eraser.