Staples Cause for Caring Supports Junior Achievement in Eight Communities in the U.S. and Canada

Commitment Focuses on Work and Career Readiness Education for Teens and Young Adults

Colorado Springs, CO – Junior Achievement USA, JA, announced today that Staples Cause for Caring, Inc. is investing $250,000 this year to support JA work and career readiness initiatives in eight communities in the United States and Canada. These initiatives are focused on helping middle school students, high school students, and young adults gain a better understanding of the connection between what they learn in school and future work and careers.

“The idea of jobs and careers is very compelling to young people, but sometimes they need support in terms of understanding how their education choices can support their future aspirations,” said Jack E. Kosakowski, President & CEO of Junior Achievement USA. “We greatly appreciate Staples’ investment in this area to better prepare young people to pursue their dreams and achieve their potential.”

In addition to monetary support, Staples will offer employee volunteers to engage with the students as part of these programs, sharing their expertise, career insights, and hands-on mentorship to inspire participating youth. Further, Staples commits to offering in-kind contributions of print services to support JA in classrooms.

“As experts on the future of work and as a company of caring people, Staples is proud to continue our history of charitable giving through the support of our Cause for Caring fund and generous employee volunteers across the company,” said John Lederer, CEO, Staples, Inc. “Middle and high school students participating in Junior Achievement programs today have the ability to become the business leaders of the future. It is our honor to play a role in helping them achieve their full potential.”

The JA communities benefiting from Staples Cause for Caring this year are:

- Framingham, MA (Boston)
- Lincolnshire, IL (Chicago)
- Dallas, TX
- Greencastle, PA (York, PA)
- Orange City, IA
- Atlanta, GA
- Halifax, NS, Canada
- Maitland, FL (Orlando, FL)

Examples of the learning experiences Staples is supporting include JA Job Shadow for high school students, internships for young adults, and career exploration programs for middle school students.

“Staples Cause for Caring represents our commitment to serving others, whether they are employees recovering from unforeseen personal hardships or members of our local communities who can benefit from our support and expertise,” said Gina Gibbs Foster, VP, Corporate Communications, Staples, Inc. and Cause for Caring Board President. “We’re pleased to continue Staples’ legacy of charitable giving and community involvement through this partnership with Junior Achievement.”

About Staples Cause for Caring, Inc.

Staples Cause for Caring is a 501c3 Charitable organization that is founded and funded by Staples, Inc. employee and corporate contributions. Cause for Caring offers financial assistance for qualifying events resulting in extreme financial hardship for employees, and the fund also supports community giving via strategic non-profit partnerships. Since 2013, the fund has paid out over $6M in grants. For more information, visit www.staplescauseforcaring.org.

About Junior Achievement USA®

Junior Achievement is the world's largest organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their future, and make smart academic and economic choices. JA programs are delivered by corporate and community volunteers and provide relevant, hands-on experiences that give students from kindergarten through high school knowledge and skills in financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship. Today, JA reaches more than 3.3 million students per year in 102 markets across the United States as part of 12.5 million students served by operations in more than 100 other countries worldwide. Junior Achievement USA is a member of JA Worldwide. For more information, visit www.ja.org.

About Staples®

Staples is The Worklife Fulfillment Company, helping businesses of all sizes be more productive, connected and inspired — however and wherever they work today. With dedicated account teams, category professionals, innovative brands and a curated product assortment for business, Staples provides customized solutions to help organizations achieve their goals. The company operates in North America through eCommerce and direct sales, and is headquartered near Boston, Massachusetts. More information about Staples is available at www.staplesadvantage.com.

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