On September, Office Depot and the Office Depot Foundation donated 4,000 backpacks to non-profit organizations and schools in the Atlanta area. The Fulton Education Foundation received 500 backpacks for students in need.

The donations were made during a special “Back-to-School Backpack Celebration” at an Office Depot store in Atlanta. Special guests included NASCAR star Tony Stewart (pictured signing autographs), Karen E. Rogers, director of the City of Atlanta Weed and Seed Program, and Ivy Green, daughter of state Representative Sharon Beasley-Teague.

This year, the Office Depot Foundation celebrates an extraordinary milestone as it donates its 2-millionth backpack since the inception of the National Backpack Program in 2001.

“The Office Depot Foundation believes strongly that we are helping children to build self-confidence, boost self-esteem and achieve greater success in the classroom – all as a result of being well-prepared for school,” said Foundation President Mary Wong. “We are extremely pleased to be able to donate our 2-millionth backpack at a time when so many children and families are dealing with the impact of the economic downturn.”

The non-profit organizations and schools selected to participate in the September 3 backpack donation event include:

·         Atlanta Public Schools

·         City of Atlanta Weed and Seed

·         CaringWorks

·         CHRIS Kids Inc.

·         City of Refuge

·         Communities In Schools of Atlanta

·         Easter Seals North Georgia

·         Fulton Education Foundation

·         Hines Ward’s Helping Hands Foundation

·         Ron Clark Academy

·         Safehouse Outreach

·         Walter F. White Elementary School

·         Women’s Resource Center to End Domestic Violence

To distribute its backpacks in 2009, the Office Depot Foundation is hosting 25 “Back-to-School Backpack Celebrations” in cities across the U.S. and Canada.