(Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) – Tools for Schools Broward is celebrating the donation of nearly 6 million pencils to the Kids In Need Foundation national network of resource centers from Dixon Ticonderoga Company and Lowe’s.
“As one of the national Foundation’s 39 resources, Tools for Schools Broward in Pompano Beach provides school supplies to 200 Broward County public and charter schools,” said Thomas Severino, President and CEO of Broward Education Foundation. “Broward County public and charter Title I school teachers from come to our centers to shop for free supplies. We are thrilled so many students will have the essential tools needed to succeed in the classroom this year.”
Studies show that when kids have the tools they need to learn, classroom behavior improves, attitudes toward school and learning improve and kids have a stronger sense of self-esteem.
“The Dixon Ticonderoga Company cares deeply about the Kids In Need Foundation’s mission to ensure that every child is prepared to learn,” said Tim Gomez, CEO, Dixon Ticonderoga Company. “We know that when kids have the tools they need, they will have a better classroom experience and their potential for success increases.”
More than 16 million kids in this country live below the poverty level, and many of these students go to school without the tools they need to learn, according to Dave Smith, executive director of the Kids In Need Foundation. “Confidence is a big factor in the classroom. Dixon Ticonderoga Company and Lowe’s understand that every student deserves to put his or her best foot forward in the classroom, and supplies help them do that,” Smith said.
“At Lowe’s, we know that education influences the future of our communities,” said Joan Higginbotham, Lowe’s Director of Community Relations. “We are proud to provide resources to public schools through our Toolbox for Education grants program and support initiatives like this pencil donation with Dixon Ticonderoga.”
About Kids in Need Foundation:
The Kids In Need Foundation’s mission is to ensure that every child is prepared to learn and succeed by providing free school supplies nationally to students most in need. Kids In Need has distributed more than $700 million in school supplies since its founding, directly benefiting 4.2 million students and more than 120,000 teachers annually. They are a national 501(c)(3) charitable organization founded in 1995. For more information, visit kinf.org, and join us at twitter.com/kidsinneed & fb.com/kidsinneed.
About Dixon-Ticonderoga Company:
Dixon Ticonderoga Company manufactures and markets a wide range of writing instruments, art materials and office supplies under the Ticonderoga, Prang, Dixon, Oriole, Das and Lyra brands. Headquartered in Lake Mary, Fla., the company is a subsidiary of Milan-based Fabbrica Italiana Lapis ed Affini S.p.A. (FILA). For more information, visit www.DixonUSA.com.
About Lowes:
Lowe’s, a FORTUNE® 50 home improvement company, has a 50-year legacy of supporting the communities it serves through programs that focus on K-12 public education and community improvement projects. Since 2007, Lowe’s and the Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation together have contributed nearly $200 million to these efforts, and for more than two decades Lowe’s Heroes employee volunteers have donated their time to make our communities better places to live. To learn more, visit Lowes.com/SocialResponsibility and LowesInTheCommunity.tumblr.com.
About the Broward Education Foundation:
Established in 1983, the nonprofit Broward Education Foundation (BEF) aligns with Broward County Public Schools by providing support for innovative teaching to advance Pre K-12 achievement; critically needed educational materials for Title I school teachers and students, and scholarships for qualified high school seniors. Each year, the Foundation contributes more than $2 million to Broward County schools, serving as the catalyst for educational excellence.
For more information, call 754-321-2030, visit www.browardedfoundation.org, like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.
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