McHenry, IL -- August 24, 2023. Nearly 90 Chicagoland elementary school students were sporting brand-new backpacks, filled with an array of supplies, when they started school. The annual backpack donation program is coordinated by Follett's Content Business through Communities That Care, a Lake-Zurich based non-profit organization provides key resources to children in need of assistance.
The 2023 campaign generated $2,000 in donations from Follett employees, which helped provide backpacks and supplies for approximately four classrooms in need this fall. The backpacks sported trendy designs for all interests, including one adorned with the Chicago Cubs' logo. The new supplies featured crayons, markers, glue sticks, rulers, erasers, pencil pouches and more.
Diane Larrabee, longtime director of Communities That Care, applauded Follett for providing backpacks and school supplies to students in need through her organization's back-to-school program.
"The heartfelt generosity is making a difference to children who, more than ever, need to feel the love and benevolence of those who care and support them," Larrabee said. "The kindness attached to every backpack means the world to these children who aspire to overcome their circumstances and make their dreams come true. This kind of help is invaluable as the students grow and learn and develop their skills through the education they receive now. We appreciate Follett supporting the educational needs of the children in our community and giving them the gift of education."
McHenry-based Follett Content Solutions is the largest provider of educational materials to PreK-12 libraries, classrooms, learning centers and school districts in the United States.
With a mission of making a positive impact on the lives of educators, students and society at large, Follett has a decades-long history of supporting the communities it serves through charitable giving, volunteer efforts, and more. Whether donating books annually to Bernie's Book Bank, partnering with area non-profit organizations during the pandemic to hold a free diaper drive, providing college scholarships to local students, and much more, Follett is committed to giving back.
About Follett's Content Business
Follett Content Solutions is the largest provider of educational materials to PreK-12 libraries, classrooms, learning centers and school districts in the United States, and a major supplier to educational institutions worldwide. Follett distributes textbooks, supplemental books, hands-on learning resources, audiovisual materials and digital resources through Titlewave, the most powerful online collection development and curriculum support tool for school libraries, librarians, and educators. Find Follett on Facebook, and follow on Twitter (@FollettLearning).