Back to myNiagaraOnline
Just in time for back-to-school, United Way received an incredible donation from Staples in Niagara Falls. Monique Frenette, Divisional Sales Manager for Staples Store #129 Niagara Falls said with excitement in a voicemail, “We have a donation for you, literally a truck’s worth of office and school supplies.” We were surprised and excited to learn about this very generous donation. United Way was selected because “we knew that part of your goal is to improve the local community and build a better future for so many people in need,” said Monique, “United Way also has a vast network of agency partners that would allow them to distribute the items where needed.”
“The whole store team is thrilled to be able to donate these items and worked collectively to gather, sort, box, and prepare everything. It really makes us all feel great knowing these items will be useful to and appreciated by their recipients,” said Monique.
United Way staff and volunteers arrived at the Niagara Falls store location where Staples staff members were ready to help them load vehicles. “It was unbelievable for us to see so many items being donated at one time. The items include backpacks, binders, pencil cases, lunch bags, notebooks, water bottles, markers, furniture and so much more,” said Tanya Faulkner, Labour Program and Services Coordinator. It is estimated that the value of the donation was well over $25,000.
United Way was able to use many of the items to support back-to-school programs across the region as well as after school programs, shelters and more. Agencies who received items from this incredible donation are:
• Start me up Niagara
• Community Care St. Catharines & Thorold
• YWCA Niagara
• Nightlight Youth Shelter
• Learning Disabilities Association of Niagara
• After School Matters Program
• Niagara Region Native Centre
• Ganawageh and Ohsto: Seri Urban Homes Inc
About United Way Niagara: United Way works to tackle some of the biggest social issues in Niagara; investing in solutions to poverty, food security, mental illness, homelessness, domestic violence & social isolation.
Photo caption: United Way staff and volunteers in front of Staples Niagara Falls, store #129 with Staples staff who all helped pack individuals vehicles with $25,000 worth of donations.
