Office Depot Hosts 'Backpack Donation Day' on August 4 With an Event in Jacksonville

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Aug. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --

WHAT: Office Depot , a leading global provider of office products and services, will celebrate "Backpack Donation Day" with an event in Jacksonville. In collaboration with the company's National Backpack Program, 2,000 backpacks will be presented to seven different non-profit organizations that work with disadvantaged children. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050801/FLM019LOGO ) Also, a donation of 1,000 backpacks will be presented to Senator Tony Hill. The backpack event will take place at the company's retail store in Jacksonville at 10601 San Jose Blvd. Simultaneous events will also be taking place in Orlando and Tampa on August 4 as well. This year, through the National Backpack Program, Office Depot will donate more than 300,000 backpacks containing basic school supplies to underprivileged and "at-risk" kids through area non- profit organizations and Title One schools that help kids throughout the country -- just in time for kids heading back-to- school. Office Depot began offering its signature charitable in-kind Backpack Program in 2001. Since its inception and including this year, Office Depot will have placed more than 880,000 backpacks in the hands of children across North America. Additionally, in an effort to reach out to the community at large, Office Depot also invited qualified non-profit organizations to submit requests for backpacks through its Community Relations Website for the first time. From these requests, recipients were selected and many of those who submitted requests will receive backpacks at the scheduled events. Office Depot's deep commitment to "Caring and Making a Difference," especially in the communities in which it operates, inspires the office supply giant to become involved with causes and organizations that make a profound social impact. WHEN: The event will take place August 4, 2005 and begin promptly at 2:00 p.m. WHO: * Office Depot Store Managers and District Managers * Representatives, board members, and children from the following Jacksonville-based organizations will be in attendance at the events and accept the backpacks containing school supplies from Office Depot executives: - Senator Tony Hill - Denise Johnson, Curriculum Coordinator, Jewish Community Alliance - Tania R. Yount, Development Director, The Salvation Army of Northeast Florida - Melanie Love, The Salvation Army of Northeast Florida - Major James Seiler, The Salvation Army of Northeast Florida - John Edwards, Executive Director, North East Florida Community Action Agency - Geraldine Ford, Youth Specialist, North East Florida Community Action Agency - Vicki Preston, Family Services Specialist, Youth Coordinator, North East Florida Community Action Agency - Carmen Reynolds, Vice President, Clay County Youth - Ronald Flowers, Clay County Youth - Danny Gardner, CEO, Jacksonville Youth Sanctuary - Mary Ellen Hathaway, Executive Administrator, Jacksonville Youth Sanctuary - Karen Miller, 5th Grade Teacher, Wilkinson Elementary School - Ellen Ramsey, CFO, Jacksonville Housing Authority WHERE: Office Depot's Retail Store 10601 San Jose Blvd Jacksonville, FL [phone] VISUALS: Backpack Donations to organizations and children. Photo Opportunity and media interviews with representatives from Office Depot and benefiting organizations and children receiving backpacks

Members of the media, both print and broadcast, are encouraged to attend. Photos and interviews will follow the events. For media representatives that are unable to attend, photographs from the events will be available by contacting Lisa Black [e-mail] or Seth Bidder [e-mail] or Jillian Rosen [e-mail] .

To learn more about events in Orlando and Tampa, please contact either Seth Bidder or Lauren Garvey.
Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050801/FLM019LOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, [e-mail]