Amazon driver Stephen Bailey arrives at Bess T. Shepherd in the Amazon Prime truck
The partnership between Amazon and Hamilton County Schools is in full display in September. Amazon announced funding computer science education in the district earlier in the month, and the local Amazon Fulfillment Center chipped in to assist children by donating school supplies this week.
The Chattanooga Amazon Fulfillment Center staff collected $15,000 worth of school supplies to donate to the school district, matched by a $15,000 monetary donation by Amazon. Amazon delivered more than 11 pallets of supplies to Bess T. Shepherd Elementary School this week. The school is located in the neighborhood of the Amazon Fulfillment Center. The supplies will be shared with schools across the district.
“The 2020 back-to-school season comes with unique challenges for the students in the Hamilton County School District due to the pandemic,” said Chris Brock, site leader of Amazon’s fulfillment center in Chattanooga. “We feel fortunate to help in a small way by donating these items to help them easily transition into a new, successful academic year.”
The school items collected by Amazon Fulfillment Center employees included a wide assortment of necessary school supplies. There were backpacks, lunch boxes, learning games, art supplies and office supplies. The delivery also included new school items made necessary by the pandemic as personal protection equipment (PPE) was also part of the delivery. The boxes also contained face masks and face shields to protect students and staff while at school.
The district will set up a distribution center at the central office where first-year teachers new to the district will visit and get items for their classroom.
“The district was excited about Amazon’s commitment to computer science that will provide brighter futures for more than 21,700 children in 42 elementary schools, but this donation by Amazon employees shows the special place local education in Hamilton County has in the heart of Amazon,” said Dr. Bryan Johnson, superintendent of Hamilton County Schools. “In our district, we talk about heroes being every-day individuals who decide to make a difference. Today, Amazon’s employees from the Chattanooga Fulfillment Center have decided to make a difference, and they are HCS heroes.”
Amazon employees (left to right) Monique Geter, Ashley Webb-Grabe and Jessica Bramlett unpack the truck filled with school supplies at Bess T. Shepherd