MASA partner and contractor give back-to-school support to local communities

Many counties, cities, school districts and non-profit agencies know about the U.S. Communities Government Purchasing Alliance through the Office Depot office and school supplies contract. Local governments that use this competitively bid contract know it offers the best government pricing and high-quality office products delivered the next day (in most locations).

But there is something many of those same agencies may not know: Office Depot gives back to the communities it serves.

National Backpack Program

Since Fall 2001the Office Depot Foundation has donated backpacks filled with school supplies to help deserving children get ready for school.

On the first day of school, new backpacks are filled with rulers, crayons, glue sticks, a pen, a pencil, a pencil sharpener and an eraser. Designed to meet students’ needs in grades K through 5, the colorful backpacks feature two front pockets, a net pocket on the side, and wide padded straps for comfort and support.

In 2008, the Office Depot Foundation and Office Depot’s Business Solutions Division will donate 300,000 backpacks to a variety of non-profit organizations and schools across the U.S. and Canada . The recipients, in turn, will provide the backpacks to the children through their programs or in their classrooms.

This year, the Office Depot Foundation is partnering with national non-profit organizations to distribute backpacks, including:

• Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA)
• National Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Association
• Feed The Children
• Kids In Need Foundation
• National Foundation for Women Legislators (NFWL)
• Nourish America

The Office Depot Foundation is an independent foundation that serves as the primary charitable giving arm of Office Depot. www.officedepotfoundation.org.

MASA’s partner U.S. Communities provides a national purchasing forum for local and state government agencies, school districts (K-12), higher education and non-profits nationwide by pooling the purchasing power of over 87,000 public agencies. For more information visit www.uscommunities.org.