CRADLES TO CRAYONS 5TH ANNUAL BACKPACK-A-THON

CRADLES TO CRAYONS 5TH ANNUAL BACKPACK-A-THON TO STUFF 27,500 BACKPACKS FOR LOCAL CHILDREN IN NEED 

Massachusetts Non-Profit Mobilizes 500 Volunteers to Provide School Supplies in Largest Event of Its Kind

WHO: Lynn Margherio, Founder & CEO of Cradles to Crayons 

Joe Doody, president of Staples North American Delivery 

Jerry Sargent, President, Citizens Bank, Massachusetts 

Jendayi, Recipient of Cradles to Crayons, rising 6th grader at Tobin School 

Fun Friends from WGBH 

500 Volunteers & Local Corporate Leaders stuffing backpacks

WHAT: Cradles to Crayons, an innovative non-profit serving local children in need, will host its 5th Annual Backpack-A-Thon, Friday, August 12th, on City Hall Plaza. In a carnival-like atmosphere, Lynn Margherio, Joe Doody, Jerry Sargent and Jendayi will welcome and join more than 500 volunteers to assemble mountains of backpacks. Volunteers include supporters like the Boston Bruins Foundation, Citizens Bank, Staples, Baupost Group, the Highland Street Foundation, and New Balance. Each of the 27,500 backpacks will be stuffed with age appropriate school supplies and personalized notes for local underprivileged school s children wishing them success in the coming school year. The assembled backpacks will be loaded on to trucks for distribution to children throughout the Commonwealth. 

Cradles to Crayons reaches tens of thousands of local children by means of their Giving Factory warehouse in Brighton. The backpacks and year-round packages distributed enable social service agencies to work more effectively with the children and families they serve. Volunteer opportunities educate thousands of youth and adults about the problem of poverty and mobilize them to become part of the solution.