ADDING MULTIMEDIA Jordin Sparks and a Host of Teen Celebrities Gather for the Do...
ADDING MULTIMEDIA Jordin Sparks and a Host of Teen Celebrities Gather for the Do Something 101 School Supply Volunteer Event
Volunteers Prepare Thousands of School Bags for Students in Need
and Remind Teens Nationwide That Back-To-School Is a Time to Make a
Difference
LOS ANGELES--(Business Wire)--
Today, Jordin Sparks demonstrated an easy way for every teen to be
an American Idol - with no singing skills required.
Sparks joined hundreds of teen volunteers gathered at the Staples
Center in support of Do Something 101, a campaign to collect school
supplies for students in need, created by DoSomething.org and Staples,
Inc. (Nasdaq: SPLS).
"This summer, Do Something teens rallied to bring tens of
thousands of dollars worth of office supplies to Staples store
collection points," said Sparks. "Today's event is a reminder that the
weeks leading up to back to school is a great time to join Do
Something 101 and help supply students in need."
Along with Sparks, celebrities including Varsity Fan Club, KayCee
Stroh, Tyler Stokes, Michael Petersen, Lauren Storm and Alexandra
Krosney traded microphones and stage lights for notebooks and binders
as they joined forces to stuff 5,000 bags with pens, calculators and
binders that will be distributed to local teens, just in time for back
to school. Today's event is just one of many to be held throughout the
country as the drive continues building momentum.
Every binder and highlighter counts toward a successful back to
school for the more than 11 million children in the United States
lacking basic school supplies. Launched in July with a $50,000
donation, Do Something 101 gives teens a chance to make this summer
count for more than endless text messages and golden tans. By simply
donating pencils, notebooks and other much-needed items, teens can
participate in a national drive that benefits local students in their
own communities. These and other supplies are currently being accepted
at all Staples locations through Aug. 31.
"The teens who assembled 5,000 kits today for Los Angeles students
are role models for their peers and exemplify what it means to give
back to their communities," said Shira Goodman, executive vice
president of marketing at Staples. "We hope teens will continue to
donate throughout the month, as we know having the right supplies
makes for a successful school year."
Teens who want to make a difference can go to
www.dosomething101.com for ideas on how to run local school supply
drives. Suggestions include teens holding a movie night and "charging"
their friends a backpack filled with school supplies as admission.
Also, teens could put together a battle of the bands, car washes or
carnivals with people donating school supplies at the
entrance. Whether holding a school supply drive at summer camp, during
a summer sports league or at a neighborhood block party, Do Something
has tips, resources and flyers for how to get started and make the
most of every teen's summer.
About Do Something:
Do Something has been a trusted resource for teenagers who want to
make a difference in their communities since 1993. Through original
web and mobile content and national call-to-action campaigns, Do
Something enables teens to convert their energy and ideas into
positive action. Want to make a difference? We can help.
www.DoSomething.org.
About Staples:
Staples, the world's largest office products company, is committed
to making it easy for customers to buy a wide range of office
products, including supplies, technology, furniture, and business
services. With $27 billion in sales, Staples serves businesses of all
sizes and consumers in 27 countries throughout North and South
America, Europe, Asia and Australia. In July 2008, Staples acquired
Corporate Express, one of the world's leading suppliers of office
products to businesses and institutions. Staples invented the office
superstore concept in 1986 and is headquartered outside Boston. More
information about Staples (Nasdaq: SPLS) is available at
www.staples.com.
Tilson Communications
Jackie Guzman, 561-998-1995
jguzman@tilsonpr.com
or
Staples, Inc.
Katie Sullivan, 508-253-0879
katie.sullivan@staples.com
Copyright Business Wire 2008
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