Backpacks to Local Schools

REPRESENTATIVE VIDA MILLER PARTNERS WITH THE OFFICE DEPOT FOUNDATION,
DISTRIBUTES BACKPACKS TO LOCAL SCHOOLS

Representative Vida Miller and The Office Depot Foundation are pleased to announce that student of House District 108 have been chosen to receive backpacks containing essential school supplies as part of the Foundation’s Eighth Annual National Backpack Program in partnership with the National Foundation for Women Legislators (NFWL).

“This is an extremely beneficial program,” said Vida Miller “I am honored to have the opportunity to present these backpacks to these deserving students. This donation will allow the children to start the new school year with important resources they need to be successful in the classroom. As SC’s Education Team Leader for the National Foundation for Women Legislators, I commend the Office Depot Foundation on its efforts to make children’s lives easier when it comes to having basic school supplies, which many of us take for granted.”

By the end of this year, Office Depot (NYSE: ODP) and the Office Depot Foundation will have given away nearly 1.8 million backpacks since the program began in 2001. For the fourth consecutive year, 300,000 backpacks are being donated across the United States and Canada.

The 2008 backpacks come in five different color schemes, blending orange, blue, red, purple, green and – for the first time – pink. Designed primarily to meet the needs of students in grades K-5, the backpacks feature two front pockets and wide, padded straps for comfort and support. Each backpack contains a pencil pouch containing essential back-to-school items - a ruler, four crayons, a glue stick, a pen, a pencil, a pencil sharpener and an eraser.

This summer Office Depot will provide the National Foundation for Women Legislators with more than 18,000 backpacks for distribution by women elected officials in all 50 states. Office Depot will also partner with the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, the National Court Appointed Special Advocates Association (CASA), the Kids In Need Foundation, City Year, Teach for America, Nourish America and Feed The Children. These organizations focus on education, domestic abuse, national disaster relief and other vital issues and will assist in distributing backpacks to children across the country and internationally.

“Children who are poor or abused, or families who have suffered through a natural disaster do not need to worry about not having school supplies,” said Miller. “This is a wonderful program and I look forward to working with the Office Depot Foundation in the future on behalf of the National Foundation for Women Legislators.”

About the National Foundation For Women Legislators, Inc. (NFWL)
Through annual educational and networking events, the National Foundation for Women Legislators supports women legislators from all levels of governance. As a non-profit, non-partisan organization, NFWL does not take ideological positions on public policy issues, but rather serves as a forum for women legislators to be empowered through information and experience.

About the Office Depot Foundation
The Office Depot Foundation is an independent foundation that serves as the primary charitable giving arm of Office Depot. In keeping with its mission, Listen Learn Care, the Foundation strives to make a positive impact on many lives in many communities around the world. The Foundation supports a variety of programs that enhance the quality of life for children, strengthen communities, encourage local and global economic growth, and empower schools and non-profit organizations. It also provides support when disasters strike - doing what it can not only to speed the process of rebuilding, but also to mitigate the impact of future disasters. For more information about the Office Depot Foundation, visit www.officedepotfoundation.org.
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