Boys & Girls Club gets supply haul from Staples

LEOMINSTER » Staples in Water Tower Plaza donated 800 bags of school supplies to the Boys & Girls Club of Fitchburg and Leominster on Friday.

Staples Sales Manager Nate Greenwood personally delivered dozens of bright red bins full of supplies, which were purchased and donated by customers, to club Executive Director Donata Martin.

“We know that it’s been a rough year for teachers and students,” Greenwood said. “This was an easy thing for us to do, and this year it had a lot of driving force behind it. Customers were happy to help, and teachers have been ecstatic to get back to school supplies.”

Greenwood said the annual community outreach program typically runs at the beginning

of the school year, but was extended through the holiday season this time due to remote learning and a greater need.

The Boys & Girls Club of Fitchburg and Leominster runs three remote learning centers that over 100 children attend each school day, as well as an afterschool program on site. Martin said the partnership with Staples has been very helpful to them, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Hopefully some other businesses and organizations will step up and also donate,” she said.

Greenwood said one Staples cashier in particular gathered upwards of 30 bags a day from customers for the cause. The company donated an additional 700 bags to local teachers.

“It is important to help each other out,” Greenwood said. “We are all in this together.”

COURTESY BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF FITCHBURG AND LEOMINSTER The Boys & Girls Club of Fitchburg and Leominster got a large donation of school and office supplies from Staples on Friday afternoon. Members of the club and staff with a representive from Staples posed for a picture with the donations. From left is, BGCFL’s Senior Director of Programs and Operations Rachel Deleveaux, members Cade, Isabelle, Ariela, Aisa, Alianys, Aubrey, Nadia, Sadie and Zaid, Staples Sales Manager Nate Greenwood and BGCFL CEO Donata Martin.

COURTESY GIRLS & BOYS CLUB OF FITCHBURG AND LEOMINSTER The donation included hand sanitizer, colored pencils, folders, crayons, erasers, rulers, pencils, note pads, sticky notes, staple removers, staplers and staples.