During the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) 2015 National Fall Conference, volunteers filled backpacks with school supplies to benefit children at seven Title I elementary schools in the Cambridge, Maryland area. A total of 500 backpacks were filled and distributed during the event.

After including notes of encouragement for the current academic year, volunteers traveled to the schools to distribute the backpacks in person. This event was coordinated in partnership with World Vision, a humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities to help them reach their full potential. World Vision does this by tackling the root causes of poverty and injustice. AAMA and World Vision have been working together since Feb. 2012.

“Education is extremely important to AAMA,” says Rich Walker, AAMA’s president and CEO. “We support World Vision’s mission, and we’re thankful for our volunteers who worked hard to help children in the Cambridge area.”

AAMA member companies collectively donated $11,000 to sponsor 500 backpacks in total. The top donor organizations were Sapa Extrusions, Quanex Building Products and The Vinyl Institute.

“AAMA continued their social responsibility outreach during their Fall Conference by sponsoring backpacks filled with school supplies for children at seven Title I elementary schools in Cambridge,” says Mary Garcia, corporate relations director at World Vision. “World Vision’s partnership with AAMA continues to make a significant impact to build hope here at home for children and families in financial distress.”

A Title I school is eligible to become a Title I Schoolwide Program when the poverty level is at or above 40 percent. Children attending Title I schools are generally in homes where incomes are under $23,000 a year. Last year, 83 percent of the students at Maple Elementary, one of the seven schools, qualified for the free lunch program.

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Filed under: AAMA, ASSOCIATION NEWS, Events