7,200 students in under-resourced schools will receive backpacks and school supplies for the 2024-2025 school year

DENVER, July 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Shane Co., a fourth-generation, family-owned fine jeweler, kicks off its annual backpack-filling events with Kids In Need Foundation (KINF). Since the launch of the partnership in 2020, including this year's efforts, Shane Co. and KINF's collaboration has supported over 27,000 K-5 students and over 1,300 classrooms in schools where over 70 percent of the student population participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).

"As we enter our fifth year partnering with Kids In Need Foundation, it is incredible to reflect on the growth of this program since its inception. It's become an initiative our team looks forward to every year," said Rordan Shane, President & CEO of Shane Co. "It's inspiring to envision how much more this program will grow and how many students and teachers we will support. Helping under-resourced students and teachers is now a fundamental part of our company culture, and we are excited to continue our commitment to making an impact."

Throughout July and August, volunteers from all 22 Shane Co. stores and the corporate team will utilize employer-paid volunteer days to pack essential school supplies in individual backpacks for teachers to distribute to students. In 2023 alone, Shane Co.'s efforts served 150 teachers and 6,000 students in 13 states.

"We are thankful for Shane Co.'s ongoing support of under-resourced students and teachers throughout the country," said Corey Gordon, CEO of KINF. "Through their commitment thousands of students start off the school year with not only the supplies but also the encouragement they need to succeed. Together, we're helping to create equitable learning environments for these students."

Fast Facts

• A total of 72,000 pencils, 14,400 notebooks, and 7,200 packs of markers are distributed in the backpacks given to students in kindergarten through fifth grade.
• Including this year, the Shane Co. + KINF partnership will have supported over 27,000 K-5 students and over 1,300 classrooms in under-resourced schools through the Supply A Student and Supply A Teacher programs.
• To date, Shane Co. employees have volunteered over 3,500 hours to fill backpacks and teacher/classroom kits with supplies, handwritten notes of encouragement, and more for underserved schools in local communities where Shane Co. has a presence.
• This year, 7,200 backpacks full of supplies will be distributed to students in July and August. Twenty-two schools across 13 states will receive these backpacks.

The communities set to receive supplies are based in regions that Shane Co. stores currently serve. These include the San Francisco Bay Area, Atlanta, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Seattle, Phoenix, Sacramento, Denver, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Louisville, St. Louis, Portland, Nashville, and Salt Lake City.

About Shane Co.
A family-owned fine jeweler since 1929, Shane Co. makes quality fine jewelry crafted with care. With styles designed in-house and hand-finished by on-site jewelers, Shane Co. is the go-to place to discover truly unique pieces for celebrating a milestone, a one-of-a-kind gift, the perfect engagement ring, or treating yourself. With a passion for diamonds and gemstones that goes back four generations, Shane Co. responsibly sources hand-selected stones cut to the highest standards. Shane Co., your friend and jeweler, is a place where everyone is welcome. Visit us at www.ShaneCo.com or at our 22 locations nationwide.

About Kids In Need Foundation
Kids In Need Foundation helps create equitable learning spaces through the distribution of supplies and resources, investing in teachers and students in underserved schools. With the belief that every child in America should have equal opportunity and resources to engage in a quality education, Kids In Need Foundation focuses its programs and initiatives on teachers and students most under-resourced, those where 70 percent or more of the enrolled students are eligible for free or reduced-cost meals through the National School Lunch Program. In 2023, through its programs, National Network of Resource Centers, and coast-to-coast local partners, Kids In Need Foundation and our national network supported nearly 4 million students and 200,000 teachers in 13,000 under-resourced schools, with KINF distributing more than $42 million in free school supplies and classroom resources nationwide at no cost to schools or teachers. For more information, visit KINF.org, and join us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter: @KidsInNeed.

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SOURCE Shane Co.