September 7, 2022 – Henry Schein announced the 25th anniversary of its “Back to School” program, which provides backpacks, school supplies, and more to support the back-to-school needs of underserved children and their families. Since the program’s inception in 1998, the Company has helped more than 65,000 children start a new school year with confidence.
This year, Team Schein Members at 34 locations, including 21 U.S. facilities and 13 international sites in five countries (Canada, Ireland, Italy, Spain, and United Kingdom), are donating backpacks filled with school supplies to more than 5,000 children. At each Henry Schein location, teams work with local social service agencies to identify participating children and their families. The “Back to School” program is a flagship initiative of Henry Schein Cares, the Company’s global corporate social responsibility program.
“Over the past 25 years, the ‘Back to School’ program has continued to grow and evolve, helping to meet the ever-changing needs of the communities in which we live and work,” said Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Henry Schein. “Our inaugural program served 175 children, and the Team Schein spirit has remained strong since the beginning, with Team Schein Members joining all over the world to help furnish children with the essentials needed to have a successful school year.
In the latest episode of #scheinchats, Henry Schein’s signature social media series, Dan LaRosa, Senior Manager of Team Schein and Community Services at Henry Schein, sat down with Fran Mellow, Division Director at Family Service League, New York, to discuss how the “Back to School” program helps enhance access to essentials, why starting the school year off with confidence is important, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and what companies can do to build similar initiatives. Watch the discussion here.
“No parent or guardian should have to face financial pressure and struggles in trying to meet what are essential costs for their child’s education. And no child should feel anxiety about the price of school supplies,” said Suzanne Connolly, Chief Executive Officer of Barnardos Children’s Charity, Ireland. “At Barnardos, our mission is to deliver services and work with families, communities, and our partners to transform the lives of vulnerable children who are affected by adverse childhood experiences. By collaborating with Henry Schein to support the back-to-school needs of vulnerable children, we can help them achieve great things, because childhood lasts a lifetime.”