This just in from our good friends over at Georgia-Pacific:
Each year, continued cuts in education budgets have forced teachers to spend hundreds of their own dollars just to keep their rooms stocked with essential classroom supplies, like notebook paper, pencils, crayons, hand sanitizer and markers. This week, each of the 1,100 Atlanta Public Schools elementary classrooms is receiving a school supply care package from Georgia-Pacific employees.
Across the country, the company’s employees have collected and donated school supplies for approximately 3,000 “care boxes” for classrooms in communities where the company has facilities. In addition to the boxes of supplies given by employees, the company also donated cases of other needed products including, its office paper, paper towels and tissue products.
“We are so excited about the impact that this donation will have on our students and the teachers. Georgia-Pacific employees make an impact on M. Agnes Jones that’s indescribable,” said Margul Woolfolk, principal at M. Agnes Jones Elementary School. “From the tutors that come each week to this donation, our partnership is focused on needs-based support. And this is the time of year that supplies are at their lowest, and schools really need the help.”
For more than a decade, Georgia-Pacific held a company-wide celebration to remember the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Recently, the company chose to honor Dr. King through employee service projects instead. This year’s service project began with the King holiday and continued throughout the month of February.
“Having a quality primary education is the single most important factor in the future success of a child. Unfortunately, many times our teachers have to provide their own necessary supplies,” said Jim Hannan, CEO and President, Georgia-Pacific. “Our employees recognize this challenge, and I’m proud of the help we are able to provide to thousands of students and teachers across the country.”
Since 1996, M. Agnes Jones and Georgia-Pacific have been paired through Atlanta Partners For Education, a joint program of the Metro Atlanta Chamber and Atlanta Public Schools that partners corporations and schools. Georgia-Pacific employees are on campus three days a week as tutors and “class buddies,” and have even led a school and neighborhood community food drive.
The company has a strong tradition of focused community investment in Atlanta and communities where it has operations. Georgia-Pacific and other Koch companies have contributed more than $140 million in charitable support during the past five years.
