Chicagoland Students Receive Back-to-School Gift of New Backpack, Supplies

MCHENRY, Aug. 27, 2024 — For Chicagoland elementary school students, the start of a new school year also came with something else: A brand-new backpack, chockful of supplies, courtesy of Communities That Care (CTC) via donations from McHenry’s Follett Content. CTC is a Lake-Zurich based non-profit organization provides key resources to children in need of assistance.

Follett Content annually holds its backpack drive with donations that come from team members. The 2024 campaign generated more than $1,000, which in turn was donated to CTC, along with more than 60 backpacks filled with supplies. CTC used both the monetary and physical donations to provide to four Chicagoland classrooms in need.

The backpacks sported trendy designs for all interests, while the new supplies featured crayons, markers, glue sticks, rulers, erasers, pencil pouches and more.

Diane Larrabee, longtime director of Communities That Care, applauded Follett Content for providing backpacks and school supplies to students in need through her organization’s back-to-school program.

“The heartfelt generosity is making a difference to children who, more than ever, need to feel the love and benevolence of those who care and support them,” Larrabee said. “The kindness attached to every backpack means the world to these children who aspire to overcome their circumstances and make their dreams come true. We appreciate those Follett Content team members who are supporting the educational needs of the children in our community and giving them the gift of education.”

In addition to the backpack drive, Follett Content also made a separate $705 donation to CTC. This donation was made possible by proceeds from sales at Edythe’s Book Nook, the Follett Content employee bookstore. For 2024, donations to McHenry County non-profit organizations from Edythe’s Book Nook has totaled nearly $3,500. Since its inception in 2022, the total donated is closing in on $19,000.

About Communities That Care | ctc4kids.org

The mission of Communities That Care (CTC) is to provide resources such as clothes, toys, gifts, school supplies and other necessities to underprivileged, disadvantaged or homeless children in need of assistance with their most basic needs and their most desired wishes. CTC is dedicated to serving needy children in underprivileged communities by providing resources that financially challenged families cannot afford on their own. It strives to provide relief for struggling families in financial crisis and lessen the burden of poverty that children in difficult circumstances bear day to day. Through the support of a generous and giving community, CTC brings hope and encouragement to children who need to believe in a community that cares.

About Edythe’s Book Nook

Edythe’s Book Nook, the Follett Content employee bookstore, is named in honor of Edythe Benepe, who was a journalist for a Chicago newspaper when in 1901 she met and later married C.W. Follett, founder of Follett Corporation. The couple had four sons, all the while Edythe worked full time running one of the Follett bookstores. Edythe is the great-great-grandmother to Britten Follett, CEO, Follett Content. Opened in November 2022, the purpose of the employee bookstore is to not only offer books to team members at discounted prices, but to use the proceeds from sales to support the local community.

About Follett Content | follettcontent.com

Follett Content Solutions is the largest provider of educational materials to PreK-12 libraries, classrooms, learning centers and school districts in the United States, and a major supplier to educational institutions worldwide. Follett Content distributes textbooks, supplemental books, hands-on learning resources, audiovisual materials and digital resources through Titlewave, the most powerful online collection development and curriculum support tool for school libraries, librarians, and educators. Find Follett Content on Facebook and Instagram and follow them on X (formerly Twitter) (@FollettContent).

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Media Contact: Doug Thompson | Thompson Drake Public Relations | 541.419.4471 | doug@thompsondrake.com