Under-Resourced Teachers Pay $4 Billion Of Their Own Money Each Year For
Classroom Supplies
NAPERVILLE, Ill., Sept. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Teachers across America spend
an average $1,200 of their own money each year for classroom supplies,
amounting to a $4 billion out-of-pocket annual expense. OfficeMax(R)
Incorporated (NYSE: OMX), a leader in office products and services, is
seeking to raise awareness of this plight and drive community-based action
to bring more resources to teachers. OfficeMax is conducting a nationwide
fund raising program through in-store donations to benefit
Adopt-A-Classroom, a unique not-for-profit organization that brings support
direct to teachers.
"A single teacher can impact more than 3,000 lives over the course of a
career, fueling literally every profession in our society," said Ryan Vero,
executive vice president and chief merchandising officer for OfficeMax.
"That teachers are left to spend their own money on classroom supplies is
just wrong. OfficeMax is taking a stand in support of teachers, and all
that they stand for, and leading a community-based effort to bring teachers
the resources they need for a supportive learning environment."
According to Adopt-A-Classroom, the nation will need 2.2 to 2.4 million
more new teachers by 2010. However, fifty percent of teachers leave the
profession within the first five years. Among the top reasons for leaving
the profession is lack of support.
"Sometimes the simplest ideas can have the greatest impact," says James
Rosenberg, Founder and Executive Director of Adopt-A-Classroom. "If each
one of us were to go to one teacher in our community with even nominal
support, the cumulative effect would be astounding. The fund raising effort
we are conducting with OfficeMax is based on this simple, logical premise
and has the real potential to create significant change for our teachers."
Special limited edition photo frame magnets with teacher and education
messages, perfect for teachers, parents or grandparents, are offered as
free gifts to anyone making a donation of $2.00 or more at any OfficeMax
retail store. The fund raising campaign will run through October 8, 2007.
In addition to the teacher fund raising campaign, OfficeMax has offered
numerous teacher-support programs such as the MaxPerks for Teachers loyalty
reward program, special annual Educator Appreciation events at retail
stores and a MaxPerks recycling program for teacher and school-based
fund-raising efforts.
About OfficeMax(R) Incorporated
OfficeMax Incorporated is a leader in both business-to-business and
retail office products distribution. The OfficeMax mission is simple: to
help our customers do their best work. The company provides office
supplies, print and document services through OfficeMax Impress(TM),
technology products and solutions, and furniture to large, medium and small
businesses and consumers. OfficeMax customers are served by approximately
35,000 associates through direct sales, catalogs, e-commerce and nearly 900
stores. For more information, visit: http://www.officemax.com.
OfficeMax Media Contacts OfficeMax Investor Contact
Bill Bonner Jennifer Rook John Jennings
630 864 6066 630 864 6057 630 864 6820
SOURCE OfficeMax Incorporated
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Related links:
http://www.officemax.com
CONTACT:
Media, Bill Bonner, +1-630-864-6066, or
Jennifer Rook, +1-630-864-6057, or Investors, John Jennings,
+1-630-864-6820, all of OfficeMax Incorporated
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