Business community answers the call to support BCPS students

August 5, 2016

TOWSON, MD — Did you know that the average American family spends $196 on school supplies for an elementary school student? And that the cost for middle and high school students jumps to $327 and $374? That’s according to the 2016 Huntington Bank Backpack Index.

In Baltimore County, where 47% of public school students are eligible for free and reduced price meals, the business community has enthusiastically joined an effort to help ensure that students have the school supplies they need.

Led by the Education Foundation of Baltimore County Public Schools, the Back to School Involves You, Too! campaign is securing school supplies for area families. While the public can participate by taking supplies to drop-off locations at libraries, stores, and offices across the county, many businesses are hosting their own internal campaigns and challenging their employees to give. The list of participating businesses includes:

Access Corp
First Financial Federal Credit Union
Glen Meadows Retirement Center
HMS Insurance
KIMCO Realty
Lakeshore Learning
Legg Mason Global Asset Management
The Marisol Johnson State Farm Insurance Agency
Merrill Lynch
PDP Group, Inc.
Phillips Way, Inc.
SunTrust Bank
Whiteford Taylor Preston LLP

“This is just the second year for the school system’s annual school supply campaign,” said Deborah Phelps, director of the Education Foundation, “and we are so pleased to see significant growth in the number and diversity of participating businesses. We appreciate their support and value their shared commitment to the success of our students and schools.”

In addition to collecting school supplies, the school system’s Back to School Involves You, Too! campaign features back to school festivals, special contests, BCPS-TV programming, Parent University workshops, and more. For information about the campaign as well as a calendar of this year’s activities and events, go to www.bcps.org/teamBCPS/btsiyt/.