HADDAWAY DISTRIBUTES BACKPACKS TO LOCAL CHILDREN

HADDAWAY PARTNERS WITH THE OFFICE DEPOT FOUNDATION,
DISTRIBUTES HUNDREDS OF BACKPACKS TO LOCAL CHILDREN IN NEED


EASTON, MARYLAND – Delegate Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio (R-37B) and The Office Depot Foundation are pleased to announce that Talbot, Caroline, Dorchester and Wicomico County Foster Children have been chosen to receive backpacks containing essential school supplies as part of the Foundation’s Ninth Annual National Backpack Program in partnership with the National Foundation for Women Legislators (NFWL). There will be a presentation on August 12, 2009 at 10:00AM at Talbot County DSS, 301 Bay Street in Easton, where a formal presentation of the backpacks will occur.

“This is an extremely beneficial program,” said Haddaway “I am honored to have the opportunity to present these backpacks to students again this year. As we have seen the economy fluctuate over the last year, many parents have struggled to figure out how they will be able to purchase supplies for their children. As another school year begins, public-private partnerships like this are even more important. I commend the Office Depot Foundation on its efforts to make children’s lives easier when it comes to having basic school supplies, which many of us take for granted.” Delegate Haddaway-Riccio is NFWL’s Education Team Leader.

This year, Office Depot (NYSE: ODP) and the Office Depot Foundation are celebrating the donation of the 2 millionth backpack since this program began in 2001. NFWL has been partnering with the backpack program for four years and this year, the Office Depot Foundation will provide the National Foundation for Women Legislators with more than 18,000 backpacks for distribution by women elected officials in all 50 states.

The Office Depot Foundation will also donate backpacks to children in partnership with the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, the National Court Appointed Special Advocates Association (CASA), the Kids In Need Foundation, City Year, Nourish America, Feed The Children and the Tony Stewart Foundation. These organizations focus on education, domestic abuse, national disaster relief and other vital issues and will assist in distributing backpacks to children across the country and internationally.

“Children in our community should never have to worry about the stigma of not having school supplies,” said Haddaway “This is a wonderful program and I look forward to working with the Office Depot Foundation in the future on behalf of the National Foundation for Women Legislators.”

The 2009 backpacks come in five different color schemes, blending orange, blue, red, purple, green and pink. Specially designed to meet the needs of students in grades K-5, the backpacks feature two front pockets and wide, padded straps for comfort and support. Each backpack includes a pencil pouch containing essential back-to-school items - a ruler, four crayons, a glue stick, a pen, a pencil, a pencil sharpener and an eraser.

About the National Foundation For Women Legislators, Inc. (NFWL)
Through annual educational and networking events, the National Foundation for Women Legislators supports women legislators from all levels of governance. As a non-profit, non-partisan organization, NFWL does not take ideological positions on public policy issues, but rather serves as a forum for women legislators to be empowered through information and experience.

About the Office Depot Foundation
The Office Depot Foundation is an independent foundation (tax exempt under IRC Sec. 501c-3 that serves as the independent charitable giving arm of Office Depot, Inc. In keeping with its mission, Listen Learn Care®, the Foundation supports a variety of programs that help children succeed in school and in life; enable civil society (non-profit) organizations to become more efficient and effective; help people and businesses prepare for disasters, then recover and rebuild afterwards; strengthen local communities through grants, product donations and volunteerism; and encourage community development through entrepreneurship and economic innovation. For more information, visit www.officedepotfoundation.org.
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