Community Corner

Fundraiser to Benefit Local Boys and Girls Club

The Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Staples and actor Jake T. Austin, of Disney Channel fame are teaming for the sixth annual Staples for Students national school supply drive.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Staples and actor Jake T. Austin, of Disney Channel fame are teaming for the sixth annual Staples for Students national school supply drive, to help kids get the tools they need to build great futures, it was recently announced.

Through Sept. 28, Staples customers can donate $1 or more at their local Staples store with 100 percent of the proceeds benefiting local students at the Boys & Girls Club of Southwest County.

The drive is meant to support the mission of the Boys & Girls Clubs to “enable all young people, especially those who need it most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens,” fundraising organizers wrote in a news release. The Staples for Students school supply drive supports this mission by helping young people return to school prepared to learn and succeed, officials wrote.

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The local Staples store to make a donation is located at 29225 Central Ave. in Lake Elsinore.

“I’m so excited to team up with Staples and Boys & Girls Clubs of America for this great cause,” Austin said.  “I can’t imagine starting school without the right supplies, so I’m rallying fellow teens to help make a difference in their communities by making sure students have the essential supplies they need to succeed.”

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Here are the details according to the news release:

To kick-start the campaign, Staples will donate $125,000 worth of school supplies to the program this year.  Staples and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America will ensure that all of the donations get to the local Boys & Girls Club of Southwest County in time for the new school year. Since 2008, the campaign has raised nearly $3 million for hundreds of thousands of students in need throughout the country.  Past celebrity influencers have included Jordin Sparks, Ciara, Nikki Reed, the cast of Pretty Little Liars and Bella Thorne.

“It’s amazing to see teens and customers rally together each year to give back to their local communities through Staples for Students,” said Alison Corcoran, senior vice president stores and online marketing, Staples.  “Working with Jake T. Austin and Boys & Girls Clubs, we can help ensure that students across the country start the year off right in the classroom.”

Teens are also encouraged to spread the word on social media.  Starting in early July, they can visit the Staples for Students Facebook page where Jake will take followers through an exciting series of interactive missions to help drive donations.  As missions are completed, teens will be rewarded with donations on their behalf to Boys & Girls Clubs, coupons for school supplies and opportunities to participate in exciting sweepstakes.

There are 4,000 Boys & Girls Clubs in communities nationwide serving nearly 4 million youth ages 6-18 by providing a safe and productive place for young people during the after-school timeframe. Clubs offer caring mentors and programming that help youth, many of whom come from disadvantaged circumstances, advance in the areas of education, health and wellness, and develop character and leadership skills.

“A core focus of our mission is to enable youth to be successful throughout school and follow a career or educational plan post-high school to become productive and responsible citizens,” said Kimberly Boyd, vice president, program training & youth development services for BGCA. “Partnerships and programs like the Staples for Students national school supply drive provide critical support for Clubs and youth so they have the resources needed to do well in school and create a path to a great future."


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