5,000 Local Low-income Schoolchildren Receive New Backpacks and School Supplies
Resource Area For Teachers (RAFT)
The Family Giving Tree
September 12, 2002
Contact: Gail Hallenbeck (408) 451-1425
Mary Simon (408) 451-1427
5,000 Local Low-income Schoolchildren Receive New Backpacks and School Supplies
SAN
JOSE, CA - September 12, 2002 - In the midst of tough economic times,
more than 84 host businesses and organizations joined with Family
Giving Tree and Resource Area For Teachers (RAFT) to fill more than
5,000 new backpacks with school supplies for local schoolchildren in
need. Capping off their work over the summer, representatives gathered
on Thursday, September 12 to celebrate their success and hear from some
of the backpack recipients.
Sun was awarded the
first ever "Golden Backpack Award" for providing the most backpacks.
Michele Proulx and Julie Smith, SF Bay Area Community Action Volunteer
Coordinators, led the Sun campaign, which generated more than 700 packs
through an extensive campaign at their five Bay Area campuses. The
inaugural "Golden Heart Award" given for the highest per capita drive
was presented to Bank of Santa Clara, for collecting more than 70
backpacks from their 30 employees and customers.
Twelve of the 84 groups were recognized for filling 100 or more
backpacks: AOL/Netscape; Applied Materials; BEA Systems; Intel;
Lockheed Martin; National Semiconductor; Probation Department of Santa
Clara County; Sandisk; SGI, Sun Microsystems; Synopsys, and Yahoo!
Filled backpacks - valued at $57 each - were provided to more than 20
social service agencies. Grateful for the wonderful backpacks, Sally
Slyngstad, Development Director of Sacred Heart Community Service,
said, "Here in Santa Clara Valley, our very low-income families spend
at least 80% of their funds on housing. There's little left for other
basic needs. The donated backpacks filled with paper, books, crayons,
and other tools will definitely help them learn."
Ms. Cullenbine, Executive Director of The Family Giving Tree, said, "I
am continually amazed to see the children's excitement when they get a
brand-new backpack, and a set of crayons or pencils. But when I see
that virtually everything else they have is hand-me-downs, and food and
shelter are at risk, I understand how important the new backpack is."
"In addition to social service agencies, we also welcomed our business
participants to donate their backpacks to their partner schools.
Applied Materials, for example, provided 145 backpacks to students at
Escuela Popular, in San Jose; National Semiconductor donated 100 to
students at Briarwood School, in Santa Clara; and Synopsys donated more
than 400 to students at Castro and Slater Elementary Schools in
Mountain View." stated Gail Hallenbeck, Development Coordinator at
RAFT.
Tracy Oberman, Director of HR for Pixim with just 49 employees, said
"This was our first year with the Back-to-School Drive. Our goal was 10
backpacks, but we were thrilled to help 19 students at Graham Middle
School. Our employees have been mentoring and tutoring 'at risk' kids
at Graham, as well as students who will be the first in their family to
attend college. We were touched by the student's thank you letters and
excited to be involved in such a worthwhile program."
