96% of teachers nationwide bear the cost each year to equip their classrooms with the basic materials students need to learn. To help alleviate this burden, Adopt-A-Classroom, the award-winning national non-profit organization that helps students and teachers get the materials they need to learn and achieve in the classroom, has teamed up for the second consecutive year with the national off-price retailer, Burlington Stores to support teachers and students nationwide through a chain-wide point-of-sale campaign going on now through August 18.
Showcasing his dedication to the cause is Oscar Winning Actor, Artist and Activist, Common, who is once again joining forces with AdoptAClassroom.org and their partner Burlington Stores this back-to-school season. Together with his mother, Dr. Mahalia Hines, a 35-year educator and Chicago Board of Education member, he has worked tirelessly to help hundreds of students have the resources and opportunities they need to have a successful future.
On average, teachers spend more than $740 each year to equip their classrooms with the basic materials students need to learn, a spending increase of nearly 25% over the last three years. Further, more than 28% of teachers spend over $1,000 each year to equip their classrooms with basic school supplies. Through this campaign, Burlington’s goal is to fund classroom resources that teachers need to do their job, helping to ensure all students have an equal chance to learn and succeed.
This morning, Burlington Stores, AdoptAClassroom.org, Common and Dr. Hines surprised P.S. 111 with a $10,000 donation. This school adoption provides all teachers with funding to ensure they can prepare their classrooms ahead of the school year. Common and Dr. Hines then spent time with fourth and fifth grade students from P.S. 111, viewing some of their creative works including paintings and songs and learning about the inspiration behind them.
“Spending time with students and teachers from P.S.111 this morning was a great reminder about how important it is to support schools and get them the supplies they need,” said Common. “My Mother has been in the Chicago school system for more than 35 years, and I am honored to do my part to help teachers get the materials they need to help their students succeed.”
The national point-of-sale campaign kicked off in all 640 plus Burlington Stores nationwide on July 8. Customers are encouraged to donate $1 or more at checkout through August 18 to support AdoptAClassroom.org. To further demonstrate Burlington’s commitment to giving back to the communities that it serves, funds raised will be donated to a nearby classroom where there is a Burlington store, and for the retailer’s new stores opening this fall and spring, each new location will ‘adopt’ every teacher in a local school.
“At Burlington, we are dedicated to supporting the communities where we live and work and for the second consecutive year, we are pleased to partner with AdoptAClassroom.org and we are honored that Common has continued his commitment to our effort. The funding raised in our stores will help to support teachers as they fill their classrooms with the tools their students need to succeed. Last year, we were able to provide assistance to more than 3,000 teachers and their 75,000 students, and with this year’s campaign, we look forward to furthering our impact,” said President, CEO and Chairman of Burlington Stores, Tom Kingsbury.
“It means a lot to AdoptAClassroom.org and the teachers we support to have Burlington as a second-year sponsor,” says Ann Pifer, executive director of AdoptAClassroom.org. “Our public/private partnership with Burlington, Common and Dr. Hines is a great example of the good we can do when we all work together.”
For more information visit Burlington.com or AdoptAClassroom.org.
