Colorado State University’s School is Cool Surpasses 30,000 Backpacks Donated to Poudre School District Students

Note to Reporters: Photos of School is Cool volunteers stuffing backpacks and delivering supplies to Poudre School Disctrict schools are available with this release at news.colostate.edu

Volunteers from across the Colorado State University campus and throughout the community combined their efforts to fill 2,517 backpacks for Poudre School District students during the annual School is Cool event.

School is Cool, in its 22nd year of providing new backpacks and school supplies for area public school children, has now donated more than 30,000 backpacks since the program began in 1991 with the distribution of 67 backpacks. Since then, the program has enjoyed steady growth, donating 900 more backpacks this year than it provided just eight years ago.

“We are lucky and proud to call Fort Collins our home, and as a university committed to providing access to education, School is Cool is an amazing opportunity for CSU to help children in our community get the tools they need to succeed,” said Tom Milligan, CSU’s vice president for external relations. “The CSU community truly believes in education, and through this wonderful program, our staff, faculty and students get to demonstrate that belief in a way that makes a real difference in the lives of school children in our hometown. We are very proud of this great program and thank the hundreds of individuals and the sponsors who make it possible.”

Backpacks filled with grade-specific supplies were distributed this week to every elementary, middle and high school in Poudre School District. Each school determines which students will receive supplies based on need. Families interested in obtaining School is Cool supplies should contact their home schools directly. Backpacks are not available at or through CSU.

School is Cool is supported by the Bohemian Foundation, Hewlett-Packard, the CSU Bookstore, and donations from CSU employees and community members. More than 190 volunteers join forces on the project.

For more information about School is Cool, visit www.schooliscool.colostate.edu.

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