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Staples provides school supplies for children in Oroville, Calif.
by Stefanie Segur –
In the small but growing town of Oroville, Calif., The Salvation Army has been blessed with countless boxes of donated goods thanks to their local Staples, Instead of shipping excess merchandise back to the warehouse, they have begun donating much-needed school and office supplies to the Oroville Salvation Army.
Many boxes are now being separated at the Oroville Corps to give to kids in need of school supplies. The store’s donations have totaled over $6,000 so far. But the cash value isn’t what’s important to Staples or the corps. The children are the most important, and many are going through school without the supplies they need.
In Oroville, like many other towns, schools require children to provide all their own learning supplies due to a lack of funding. Depending on grade level, one class list can cost parents more than $100. With a dwindling economy and many parents out of work, these lengthy lists are often unattainable.
Corps Officers Majors Charles and Diana Norris have wanted to start a program like this for a long time.
“This will be great for our community,” said Major Charles Norris. “Not only will we be able to give children the supplies they need, we were also running out of supplies for our church programs. Now we’ll be able to continue our worship and children’s education with an abundance of supplies.”
Children will have access to all sorts of school materials, ranging from backpacks to a vast supply of paper, pens and pencils. There are even some themed backpacks for any Spiderman or princess lover in the family.
“We’re really grateful to have such a wonderful donation from a great store,” said Norris. “This will help the children in our community make the most of their education.”
Assistant Manager Heather Pierson says Staples really enjoys helping the schools and being there for the families in need.
“Education is very important to us,” Pierson said. “We cater to lower prices so customers can get what they need and not break the bank.”
When need arises, Staples is there. Generous donations like this will help better the education of many children in the Oroville community.
