Kids In Need National Network of Resource Centers Meet to Exchange Best Practices
Providers of free school supplies to U.S. students and teachers holds annual summit.
Dayton, OH, June 30, 2006 --(PR.com)-- Just as children all over the nation are leaving thoughts of classwork and homework in the empty halls of their schools for the summer, proprietors of non profit organizations dedicated to providing children with free school supplies are meeting to discuss how they can reach more students and better help children succeed in the classroom.
The Kids In Need Foundation is serving as an omnibus for a national network of resource centers where teachers from low income school districts can access free school supplies for their students. The Foundation opened a dozen Kids In Need Resource Centers throughout the nation between 1997 and 2004. During the same time, community-minded individuals were opening their own free stores in a number of different cities. In an effort to share best practices and simplify the process for others, the Kids In Need Foundation formed the National Network. Now there are 21 centers in the network serving 1.3 million children and 75,000 teachers and distributing more than $20 million worth of school supplies annually.
On June 28, the founders, directors, staffs, and volunteers of these centers and 16 others will kick off this year’s meeting with a get acquainted dinner in Newark, NJ, hosted by the Kids In Need Resource Center, which is part of the Community FoodBank of New Jersey. And for the next two days, they will convene to share ideas and problem solving techniques that will promote growth in current centers and encourage the development of new ones.
“About 25 percent of the 63 people attending the Summit this year have recently started or are just thinking of starting a center in their communities,” said Kathy Spencer, executive director of the Kids In Need Foundation. “This is a great venue to find out how to be the most effective you can be for your community. Another third of the people attending the Summit started their centers almost a decade ago and have lots of experience that make their ideas and suggestions worth sharing.”
Now in its eleventh year, the Foundation has a network of corporate sponsors, such as Target, Office Depot, OfficeMax, Inc., MeadWestvaco, Dixon Ticonderoga, and The Coca-Cola Company that work with the Foundation to provide financial and product support to the National Network. The Resource Centers also secure local donations from their respective communities.
“We are so appreciative of our corporate sponsors and partners,” said Spencer. “Their commitment to education through their support of Kids In Need is invaluable to the national network. However, the centers cannot thrive without their local communties’ involvement as well. Kids In Need can be the conduit of information, product, and other resources, but it is the enthusiasm and hard work of people in the community that open the doors and see that the teachers and students get the supplies they need.”
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The SHOPA Kids In Need Foundation is a national non-profit organization providing school supplies to impoverished children and under-funded teachers. A 501(c)(3) charitable organization founded in 1995 by SHOPA, the School, Home, & Office Products Association, the Foundation’s mission is to recognize, promote, and support initiatives that foster educational excellence. The Foundation supports 21 Kids In Need Resource Centers that allow teachers from low-income schools to obtain free school supplies for their students. In addition, Kids In Need Teacher Grants provide K-12 educators with funding to provide innovative learning opportunities for students. Now in its eleventh year, the SHOPA Kids in Need Foundation has distributed more than $200 million in school supplies, directly benefiting 1.3 million students and 75,000 teachers annually. For more information, call 800-854-7467 or visit www.kidsinneed.net.
SHOPA, founded in 1991, is a nonprofit trade association representing nearly 900 manufacturers, manufacturer representatives, retailers, wholesalers, distributors, commercial/contract stationers, and service companies involved in the production, distribution, and sale of school supplies and office products. The Association also produces SBTS (SHOPA Buyer-to-Seller) Marketplace events, which facilitate pre-scheduled and one-on-one meetings. SHOPA, in cooperation with Messe Frankfurt, Inc. and PROPAPER, is producing Paperworld USA in November, the international trade event for the school, and office products industry. For more information, visit the Web site at www.shopa.org.
Contact: Rodger Roeser, APR
Eisen Management Group
859.586.4302
rodgerr@fuse.net
Editors Note:
Spencer available for interview
Photography available
Teachers and resource center administrators available for interview
Resource centers are located in 21 DMAs nationwide:
Atlanta
Beaumont, TX
Cincinnati
Charlotte
Chicago
Cleveland
Detroit
Indianapolis
Los Angeles
Minneapolis
New York
Newark
North Texas
Orlando
Phoenix
Scarborough
Seattle
South Florida
St. Louis
Tampa
Washington, DC
The Kids In Need Foundation is serving as an omnibus for a national network of resource centers where teachers from low income school districts can access free school supplies for their students. The Foundation opened a dozen Kids In Need Resource Centers throughout the nation between 1997 and 2004. During the same time, community-minded individuals were opening their own free stores in a number of different cities. In an effort to share best practices and simplify the process for others, the Kids In Need Foundation formed the National Network. Now there are 21 centers in the network serving 1.3 million children and 75,000 teachers and distributing more than $20 million worth of school supplies annually.
On June 28, the founders, directors, staffs, and volunteers of these centers and 16 others will kick off this year’s meeting with a get acquainted dinner in Newark, NJ, hosted by the Kids In Need Resource Center, which is part of the Community FoodBank of New Jersey. And for the next two days, they will convene to share ideas and problem solving techniques that will promote growth in current centers and encourage the development of new ones.
“About 25 percent of the 63 people attending the Summit this year have recently started or are just thinking of starting a center in their communities,” said Kathy Spencer, executive director of the Kids In Need Foundation. “This is a great venue to find out how to be the most effective you can be for your community. Another third of the people attending the Summit started their centers almost a decade ago and have lots of experience that make their ideas and suggestions worth sharing.”
Now in its eleventh year, the Foundation has a network of corporate sponsors, such as Target, Office Depot, OfficeMax, Inc., MeadWestvaco, Dixon Ticonderoga, and The Coca-Cola Company that work with the Foundation to provide financial and product support to the National Network. The Resource Centers also secure local donations from their respective communities.
“We are so appreciative of our corporate sponsors and partners,” said Spencer. “Their commitment to education through their support of Kids In Need is invaluable to the national network. However, the centers cannot thrive without their local communties’ involvement as well. Kids In Need can be the conduit of information, product, and other resources, but it is the enthusiasm and hard work of people in the community that open the doors and see that the teachers and students get the supplies they need.”
###
The SHOPA Kids In Need Foundation is a national non-profit organization providing school supplies to impoverished children and under-funded teachers. A 501(c)(3) charitable organization founded in 1995 by SHOPA, the School, Home, & Office Products Association, the Foundation’s mission is to recognize, promote, and support initiatives that foster educational excellence. The Foundation supports 21 Kids In Need Resource Centers that allow teachers from low-income schools to obtain free school supplies for their students. In addition, Kids In Need Teacher Grants provide K-12 educators with funding to provide innovative learning opportunities for students. Now in its eleventh year, the SHOPA Kids in Need Foundation has distributed more than $200 million in school supplies, directly benefiting 1.3 million students and 75,000 teachers annually. For more information, call 800-854-7467 or visit www.kidsinneed.net.
SHOPA, founded in 1991, is a nonprofit trade association representing nearly 900 manufacturers, manufacturer representatives, retailers, wholesalers, distributors, commercial/contract stationers, and service companies involved in the production, distribution, and sale of school supplies and office products. The Association also produces SBTS (SHOPA Buyer-to-Seller) Marketplace events, which facilitate pre-scheduled and one-on-one meetings. SHOPA, in cooperation with Messe Frankfurt, Inc. and PROPAPER, is producing Paperworld USA in November, the international trade event for the school, and office products industry. For more information, visit the Web site at www.shopa.org.
Contact: Rodger Roeser, APR
Eisen Management Group
859.586.4302
rodgerr@fuse.net
Editors Note:
Spencer available for interview
Photography available
Teachers and resource center administrators available for interview
Resource centers are located in 21 DMAs nationwide:
Atlanta
Beaumont, TX
Cincinnati
Charlotte
Chicago
Cleveland
Detroit
Indianapolis
Los Angeles
Minneapolis
New York
Newark
North Texas
Orlando
Phoenix
Scarborough
Seattle
South Florida
St. Louis
Tampa
Washington, DC
Contact
Kids In Need Foundation
Rodger Roeser
800.854.7467
www.kidsinneed.net
rodger@jypublicrelations.com
Rodger Roeser
800.854.7467
www.kidsinneed.net
rodger@jypublicrelations.com
Contact
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