Staples Associates Direct $8,500 to Charities in Framingham

Staples Foundation Grants

Framingham. MA (Oct. 17, 2013) – Staples Foundation, the private charitable arm of Staples, Inc., has awarded $3,500 to American Diabetes Association and $5,000 to HOPE Worldwide under a program that lets Staples associates direct donations. The grant received by the American Diabetes Association will help to fund the Safe at School program which assures all children with diabetes are medically safe at school and have the same educational opportunities as their classmates. In addition, the grant will benefit their Diabetes Education Program for School Nurses, a very important annual program that invites school nurses from the Greater Boston area and throughout New England to learn up to date diabetes information to help create a safe learning environment for students with diabetes.

“We are so pleased to have been awarded with this grant from the Staples Foundation as it will assist us in reaching a greater number of school nurses and help us to create a stronger event in the Fall of 2014 at Joslin Diabetes Center,” said Michelle Lantini, Corporate Development Manager at the American Diabetes Association.

The grants are part of a philanthropic initiative created by Staples Foundation which allows Staples associates around the world to direct funding to non-profit organizations that are focused on education or job skills. The program encourages local community engagement by awarding larger grants to organizations where associates are highly engaged in volunteering or fundraising – up to $25,000 per organization.

The program, called 2 Million and Change, will award funds to organizations around the world, reaching more than $2 million in grants by the end of the year. In 2012, associates globally directed more than $2.1 million of Staples Foundation grants to 470 non-profit organizations.

“Staples Foundation is committed to making a positive impact in the communities where our associates live and work,” said Katy Dobbs, director of global community and giving for Staples, Inc. “Through our program, we are pleased to support our associates and the local non-profit organizations that matter to them most.”

About Staples Community and Giving

Staples is dedicated to providing education and job skills opportunities in communities where our customers and associates live and work with a primary focus on support disadvantaged youth, from literacy and mentoring to career skills development initiatives. Staples supports these causes through corporate contributions, in-kind donations and grants from Staples Foundation, the private charitable arm of Staples, Inc. Through its global community and giving efforts, Staples has helped more than 6,500 organizations in local communities across 26 countries. Community and Giving is also an integral component of Staples Soul, which recognizes the connection between long-term business success and the impact Staples has on associates, communities and the planet. For more information, visit www.staples.com/community.

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