Pratt Featured Sponsor of Back to School Giveaway Program in Statesville, N.C.

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Pratt Industries, Conyers, Ga., USA, says it "believes in giving back to the cities and towns across America where our employees live and work...and we urge others to support charitable organizations in their communities as well." Recently, Pratt got to help another very worthy cause involving children.

In late August, Pratt was a featured sponsor of the annual Back to School Giveaway program that donates free and much- needed clothing and school supplies for less fortunate children in Statesville, N.C., where the company has a large box-making plant. "Pratt Industries was a pretty influential lifeline," Tonya Thomas, of the Statesville Housing Authority, told the local newspaper.

Tonya contacted the company when it became clear the program would fall short of its fund-raising goals. Pratt's donations allowed students the chance to choose from either a pair of jeans or khaki pants, depending on whether the child's school required uniforms, and a collared shirt. They also got to pick up free bags of school supplies including notebooks, colored pencils, and other items.

"Pratt took our fundraising campaign to the next level," said Thomas. "We were all overwhelmed with joy about their much-needed generous donation. It's donations like that that help us do what we love best, which is offering hope through empowerment and meeting the needs in the community."

The Iredell Statesville Community Enrichment Back to School Bash program serves some 1,800 underprivileged youth and hosts a Third Annual Back to School Giveaway to raise funding to purchase gently used and new clothing from local consignment shops, whatever school supplies they can muster, and personal hygiene products. The community children who benefit from this event have a desperate need for the most basic back to school supplies.

At the Back to School event, vendors offer community residents the opportunity to sign up for free after-school enrichment programs, scholarships to the community YMCA, health department basic screenings for dental care, and information on teen pregnancy, personal hygiene, and peer pressure.

 More information is available online.