Each year, more than 100,000 Twin Cities students return to school without essential school supplies to support their work in the classroom. Through a satellite Action Day event, Lakeville employees volunteered their time to help address educational disparities and ensure students go back to school ready to learn.
The official Action Day, organized by the Greater Twin Cities United Way (GTCUW), was held in July at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. As a sponsor of the event, Post Consumer Brands had the opportunity to send a smaller group of employees to volunteer during that event, ahead of our own satellite event at the Lakeville office on Tuesday, August 9. Over a two-hour volunteer shift, Post volunteers helped to pack 400 backpacks at our assigned station.
Each backpack was filled with school supplies to make sure that students are prepared for the upcoming school year.
“Accomplishing a goal like assembling 50,000 backpacks requires the effort of an entire community. Not only volunteers are needed, but also vendors and corporate sponsorships,” said Melissa Caldwell, Director of Events and Volunteerism with GTCUW.
“These backpacks will allow students across the Twin Cities metro to be prepared to take on the school year ahead, with the supplies they otherwise may not have access to. We are so thankful for Post’s sponsorship and continued partnership.”
In total, between Action Day and additional satellite events held at other Minnesota businesses throughout the summer – GTCUW aims to pack a total of 50,000 backpacks to distribute throughout the Twin Cities metro and surrounding areas where there is a need.
100 employees in Lakeville joined forces to assemble a total of 800 backpacks. The assembled backpacks are being distributed by 360 communities out of Burnsville, Minn. and School District 196, which services students in Rosemount, Apple Valley, and Eagan.
Once the backpacks were assembled and boxed up, officers from the West St. Paul Police Department transported backpacks to 360 Communities.
Each backpack received by a student includes:
- 2 pocket folders
- 2 spiral notebooks
- 1 ruler
- 1 box of markers
- 1 box of colored pencils
- 1 box of crayons
- 1 pencil pouch, containing 1 pencil sharpener, 2 erasers, 4 pencils, 2 glue sticks and a pair of scissors
- A note handwritten by PCB wishing them well in the upcoming school year
Supporting education is one of Post’s core charitable giving focus areas. We show our support through donations of money, product, and our time. We look forward to carrying the tradition forward, and wish all students, parents and teachers a terrific school year ahead.
Thank you to all volunteers who spent time helping GTCUW achieve their goal.
Learn more about Post’s volunteer programs, donations and more that help give back to our local communities.