February 25, 2010 — Cradles to Crayons, a Quincy-based nonprofit that provides disadvantaged children with basic essentials, announced it has received more than $220,000 in school supplies from Staples, Inc., which it is distributing to students across Massachusetts.

Cradles to Crayons yesterday teamed with more than 500 Staples employees, along with students from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston and Lawrence Public Schools, to fill 20,000 backpacks in less than three hours. The backpacks will be distributed to homeless and low-income children across the state.

“Through the Backpack-a-thon, Cradles to Crayons puts basic school supplies into the hands of youth in need,” said Lynn Margherio, chief executive officer and founder of Cradles to Crayons. “Staples’ support enables us to distribute supplies to low-income students across Massachusetts to ensure they enter the classroom with confidence and are given an equal opportunity to achieve academic success.”

Joe Doody, president of North American delivery at Staples, Inc., said, “Staples is committed to supporting organizations like Cradles to Crayons that provide disadvantaged youth with opportunities to reach their full potential. As a company headquartered in Massachusetts, we strive to equip students in our own backyard with the tools they need to succeed in school and in life.”

Since 2007, Staples has supported Cradles to Crayons’ Backpack-a-thon, providing monetary and in-kind donations for supplies and backpacks. Additionally, in 2009 about 50 members of Staples’ Brand Group Associates participated in the Backpack-a-thon in Government Center. The Staples Supply Chain Team also incorporated a community service project into their annual conference this past year. Cradles to Crayons identified the Backpack-a-thon as the initiative most in need of support in 2010.

Cradles to Crayons was founded in 2002 to provide children ages up to 12 years of age with some of the most important basics of life without charge. These basics include clothing, school supplies, and toys. Cradles to Crayons partners with social-service organizations to connect communities that have surplus resources—new or used items in good condition—with communities that desperately need access to those resources.