Staples and Kiwanis partner to provide Chromebooks for area schools

Staples and the Kiwanis Club of Kingston are again raising money to purchase Chromebooks and additional school supplies for disadvantaged schools in the area.

Last year the Staples-Kiwanis Back to School Partnership raised $28,000 and purchased 60 Chromebooks, including full replacement plans in case of breakage, that were distributed equally among three elementary schools in this area: Archbishop O’Sullivan, Rideau Heights and JG Simcoe. This year, the Kiwanis Club said their goal is to donate more Chromebooks to more elementary schools within the Algonquin Lakeshore and the Limestone school boards.   

While experiencing the uncertainty of the pandemic, students relied on, and continue to rely on, accessing the internet via their computers for teacher’s lessons, remedial instruction, exploring, sharing with other students, and storage of various documents including homework, group projects and teachers’ instructions, the club said in a media release, dated Monday, Sept. 6, 2021. 

As one of the principals of the receiving schools stated, “This donation…has helped to support a number of students across the school. Technology is a vital tool that supports and enhances the learning of students. For some students, technology is necessary to ensure a successful, accessible, and engaging learning program. Technology provides further opportunity for students to build on innovative ideas and passions. The support from our community partners at Staples and Kiwanis has helped to support this learning throughout the school.”

While students have returned to in-person learning this September, the club said that schools will continue to make great use of this technology to help students build their skills across subjects, get additional help on-line, share with their classmates, and store all their documents. According to the release, the Chromebook can be their modern slim, lightweight take-home briefcase filled with texts, notes and access to a world of ideas and knowledge.  

The partnership between Staples and Kiwanis Clubs has a long history, according to the club. It began over a decade ago as the “School Bus” program. Customers at Staples bought school supplies and dropped them into a box beside a large cut out of a yellow School Bus. The Kiwanis Club then sorted the supplies and delivered them to area schools. Later, it became more convenient to collect donations at check out and give gift certificates to schools so they could focus on their specific needs. Last year, during the pandemic, both partners agreed it was very important to support computer technology and on-line learning by providing additional Chromebooks to schools.

Staples and the Kiwanis Club of Kingston are proud to be able to help in this way, according to the release. While many donations have been received, more are needed. The program continues until Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021. Make a donation at either Kingston Staples location.