NEWS RELEASES > APRIL 13, 2023
McHENRY, Ill., April 12, 2023 – Follett has joined forces with Capstone to donate much-needed school supplies to the children in Pajaro, California who were displaced after their small community was flooded last month.
The venerable education companies donated and shipped 1,000 books and activities to the students relocated in the wake of the Pajaro River levee break. Pajaro Middle School will remain closed for the rest of the school year due to flood damage.
Britten Follett, CEO, Follett Content Solutions, said “it took a village” to provide help to those in need.
“Through California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond’s office, we were part of a group of companies and individuals who pulled together our resources and expertise to care for families impacted by this tragedy,” she noted.
Follett said the company was proud to team with Capstone and its CEO Randi Economou to make the meaningful donation possible.
“Capstone wanted to lend our support to the Pajaro community in a very intentional way,” Economou said. “With our shared passion of inspiring learning for all children, we’re honored to partner with Britten and the Follett team to put books in the hands of kids and hopefully help bring a sense of comfort and home to them during this difficult time.”
Once the Follett-Capstone collaboration was confirmed, Britten Follett said she immediately rallied employees to determine what could be contributed.
“In 24 hours, we had a pallet of books and some of our ‘Carmen Sandiego Activity Kits’ packed on a truck headed to Northern California,” she said.
Thurmond visited the impacted community in Monterey County in late March and distributed donations, including the school supplies, to affected students and families.
“We know our students and teachers are resilient, and I am sure they will bounce back once again,” Thurmond said in a California Department of Education news release. “But let’s make sure we provide them with the financial, academic, mental, and social-emotional support they need.”
A “Pajaro Strong” Go Fund Me page has been set up by a group of retired Pajaro Middle School educators; all funds collected will go toward providing clothing for impacted students. Donations had passed the $51,000 mark as of April 12.
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Media Contact: Doug Thompson | Thompson Drake Public Relations | cell: 541.419.4471 | doug@thompsondrake.com
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