- Me to We launches line of eco school supplies empowering Canadian students to send thousands of overseas peers to school in developing communities -
- Hi-res product images, promo video and b-roll can be found here: www.metowe.com/about-us/press/staples-epk -
TORONTO, June 19, 2014 /CNW/ - For the first time ever, students and parents across Canada have the power to make a difference with their back-to-school purchases and help thousands of children in Latin America, Africa and Asia receive access to education. Me to We, in partnership with Staples and ACCO Brands, launched its first line of eco-friendly school supplies with an impact.
Each product purchased gives a life-changing gift directly to a child or family in a Free The Children community overseas, so they are free to learn without battling against hunger, thirst, disease and financial restraints.
Together with hundreds of students; Free The Children co-founder Marc Kielburger; Me to We CEO, Roxanne Joyal; VP of Merchandising at Staples, Pete Gibel; and a surprise celebrity appearance from JRDN; Me to We will officially launch its eco-friendly line of school supplies at Staples' Front Street location in Toronto. The line is now available for purchase exclusively at Staples locations across Canada or online at www.staples.ca/metowe.
Me to We's line of school supplies extends from backpacks and lunch bags, to tablet sleeves and notebooks, and are made from eco-friendly materials like recycled plastic bottles and post-consumer paper. As a part of Me to We's Track Your Impact initiative, all products come with a unique eight-digit code for buyers to track exactly where their purchase gives a life-changing gift. Each product provides a different gift - backpacks give a student overseas school supplies for one year; binders ensure a tree will be planted; lunch bags give a child healthy meals, and reusable water bottles provide one year of clean drinking water for one person, among other gifts. As Canadian students gear up for class they will also help send their peers in developing communities to school.
"Me to We truly believes that a sustainable future starts with our everyday choices as consumers. We're so excited to partner with Staples and ACCO Brands who share this belief," says Roxanne Joyal, CEO, Me to We. "Today more than 57 million children are still denied access to education. By engaging today's generation of young people to make a difference with their purchases and through the impacts behind Me to We's line of school supplies, children overseas will have the chance to go to school."
"At Staples we're committed to growing the product and brand variety in our stores," says Pete Gibel, VP of Merchandising, Staples Canada. "Me to We's new line of school supplies make it easy for our customers to access sustainable products, and drive a global mentality of sustainability, specifically in the areas we're most passionate about, education and environmentalism."
"Working with Me to We to manufacture its new product line meant a lot to us as a company," says Bob Hodan, President and General Manager, ACCO Brands Canada. "We couldn't be prouder of the eco-friendly line, and are thrilled Staples is onboard to amplify the mission of a sustainable brand that empowers consumers to make a lasting impact with every purchase."
Me to We school supplies come in a variety of bright colours and patterns. Consumers can choose between vibrant colour streams, playful bursts of graphics and inspiring scripts. With today's youth in mind, the line is designed to take students from the classroom, to cafeteria and through to afterschool activities. Prices range from $1.50 - $29.96 CAD. A total of 16 items have been created in various designs for the collection by Me to We.
Also announced at today's event is Staples' support of a new Free The Children campaign called We are Rafikis. Inspired by the Swahili word for "friend," the We are Rafikis campaign gives Canadian students the opportunity to be a friend to Free The Children's developing communities around the world through selling beaded Rafiki Friend Chains that will help families lift themselves out of poverty. Every Rafiki sold raises funds for Free The Children's sustainable Adopt a Village development model and makes a lasting impact by giving a child or family a life-changing gift, from school supplies, to clean water, and even medical care. We are Rafikis kicks off September 2014 and educators and students will be able to pick up their Rafikis package to get started at a Staples location near them. More information on We are Rafikis can be found here: www.freethechildren.com/wearerafikis.
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About Me to We
Me to We is an innovative social enterprise that offers socially conscious products and services, including socially conscious and environmentally friendly clothes and accessories, as well as life-changing international volunteer trips, leadership training programs and materials, an inspirational speakers bureau, and books which address issues of positive social change. In addition, half of Me to We's net profit is donated to Free The Children, while the other half is reinvested to grow the enterprise and its social mission. Visit www.metowe.com for more information.
About Staples
Staples makes it easy to make more happen with more products and more ways to shop. Through its world-class retail, online and delivery capabilities, Staples lets customers shop however and whenever they want, whether it's in-store, online or on mobile devices. Staples offers more products than ever, such as technology, facilities and breakroom supplies, furniture, safety supplies, medical supplies, and Copy and Print services. Headquartered outside of Boston in the United States with offices in Toronto in Canada, Staples operates throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. More information about Staples (Nasdaq: SPLS) is available at www.staples.com and www.staples.ca.
About ACCO Brands Corporation
ACCO Brands Corporation is one of the world's largest suppliers of branded school, office and consumer products and print finishing solutions. Our widely recognized brands include AT-A-GLANCE®, Day-Timer®, Five Star®, GBC®, Hilroy®, Kensington®, Marbig, Mead®, NOBO, Quartet®, Rexel, Swingline®, Tilibra®, Wilson Jones® and many others. We design, market and sell products in more than 100 countries around the world. More information about ACCO Brands can be found at www.accobrands.com.
Video with caption: "VIDEO: JRDN surprised hundreds of students at Staples for Me to We school supplies launch ". Video available at: http://stream1.newswire.ca/cgi-bin/playback.cgi?file=20140619_C7982_VIDEO_EN_41616.mp4&posterurl=http://photos.newswire.ca/images/20140619_C7982_PHOTO_EN_41616.jpg&clientName=Staples%20Canada%20Inc%2E&caption=VIDEO%3A%20JRDN%20surprised%20hundreds%20of%20students%20at%20Staples%20for%20Me%20to%20We%20school%20supplies%20launch%20%0D%0A&title=STAPLES%20CANADA%20INC%2E%20%2D%20Me%20to%20We%20partners%20with%20Staples%20and%20ACCO%20Brands%20to%20revolutionize%20back%2Dto%2Dschool%20shopping&headline=Me%20to%20We%20partners%20with%20Staples%20and%20ACCO%20Brands%20to%20revolutionize%20back%2Dto%2Dschool%20shopping
Video with caption: "VIDEO: Today Marc Kielburger, Staples and ACCO Brands launched Me to We's first line of eco-friendly school supplies that make an impact for youth overseas. See video for more information about the products and find out how, for the first time, Canadians are opening the doors to education for thousands of children in Latin America, Africa and Asia.". Video available at: http://stream1.newswire.ca/cgi-bin/playback.cgi?file=20140619_C7982_VIDEO_EN_41601.mp4&posterurl=http://photos.newswire.ca/images/20140619_C7982_PHOTO_EN_41601.jpg&clientName=Staples%20Canada%20Inc%2E&caption=VIDEO%3A%20Today%20Marc%20Kielburger%2C%20Staples%20and%20ACCO%20Brands%20launched%20Me%20to%20We%27s%20first%20line%20of%20eco%2Dfriendly%20school%20supplies%20that%20make%20an%20impact%20for%20youth%20overseas%2E%20See%20video%20for%20more%20information%20about%20the%20products%20and%20find%20out%20how%2C%20for%20the%20first%20time%2C%20Canadians%20are%20opening%20the%20doors%20to%20education%20for%20thousands%20of%20children%20in%20Latin%20America%2C%20Africa%20and%20Asia%2E&title=STAPLES%20CANADA%20INC%2E%20%2D%20Me%20to%20We%20partners%20with%20Staples%20and%20ACCO%20Brands%20to%20revolutionize%20back%2Dto%2Dschool%20shopping&headline=Me%20to%20We%20partners%20with%20Staples%20and%20ACCO%20Brands%20to%20revolutionize%20back%2Dto%2Dschool%20shopping
Image with caption: "(left to right) Me to We CEO, Roxanne Joyal; VP of Merchandising at Staples, Pete Gibel; Canadian R&B recording artist JRDN, Free the Children co-founder Marc Kielburger with daughter, and Youth activist, Hannah Alper joined together at Staples' Front Street location in Toronto to officially launch the Me to We eco-friendly line of school supplies. (CNW Group/Staples Canada Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20140619_C7982_PHOTO_EN_41603.jpg
Image with caption: "Today at the Staples Impact Awards, hundreds of students, teachers and schools are recognized at the Staples Front Street location in Toronto. They are honoured for the impact they've made throughout the year for their local and global humanitarian causes. (CNW Group/Staples Canada Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20140619_C7982_PHOTO_EN_41602.jpg
SOURCE: Staples Canada Inc.
Natalie Schoffer
Manager, Public Relations, Me to We
[email protected]
416.925.5894 ext. 331
Valerie Outmezguine
Public Relations Specialist, Staples
[email protected]
905.737.1147 ext. 2426
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