Thorntons Provides Back-To-School Support For Chicago Students

ELGIN, Ill., August 4, 2015 /3BL Media/ – Thorntons and CBS EcoMedia today took part in a special back-to-school event where they distributed 444 backpacks to Lowrie Elementary School youth through support of the Kids In Need Foundations’ School Ready Supplies program. Funding for these supplies was generated through a unique partnership with CBS EcoMedia’s EducationAd program.

Thorntons, a family-owned convenience store company which aims to instill community values in everything they do, teamed up with the Kids In Need Foundation earlier this year to help meet a critical need in the community and provide educational materials to students in need, helping ease the burden of parents who otherwise would struggle to provide them.

 “As a company that cares about education, we really appreciate this chance to give back to the Chicago community,” said Rob Koller, Director of Local Marketing at Thorntons. “We know that a child’s education is one of the most important things they need for future success, and at Thorntons we love to fuel that success by providing for those that might not be able to supply their child with all the necessary tools to succeed in the classroom.”

“Nothing is more important to us than to break down the barrier of not having school supplies for kids who need them. EcoMedia and Thorntons are helping us do this,” said Dave Smith, Executive Director of the Kids In Need Foundation. “With this support, students can function in their classrooms and get their work done. Learning opportunities are much more meaningful when students do not have to worry about having pencils, paper, crayons, glue and all the other supplies kids use every day to express themselves and respond to classroom challenges. Partners such as EcoMedia and Thorntons make it possible for the Kids In Need Foundation to support the learning process.”

As a Title I School in District U-46, Lowrie Elementary School is designed to meet the educational needs of economically disadvantaged students, including diverse ethnic groups, students with disabilities and students with limited English proficiency. The school is dedicated to providing a safe and supportive environment to help students achieve their highest potentials.

“Too many kids go back to school without the materials and supplies they need to be successful in the classroom, so teachers step in to buy paper, pencils and books with their own money,” said Paul Polizzotto, President and Founder of CBS EcoMedia. “We are proud to partner with Thorntons, and applaud their commitment to providing much-needed school supplies that make back to school easier for parents and teachers and prepare kids to learn and achieve.”

About Thorntons

Founded by James Thornton in 1971, this privately-held company has been recognized as one of the top independent convenience store chains in the nation. Based in Louisville, Kentucky, Thorntons offers fresh foods, high quality beverages and fuel at its 182 stores in six states: Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee and Florida. Thorntons is not only committed to providing top of the line food and beverages, but also makes giving back a top priority in every market. Learn more about Thorntons by visiting www.thorntonsinc.com and follow us on Facebook® at www.facebook.com/thorntonsinc and Twitter® at www.twitter.com/thorntonsinc.

Launched in 2014, Thorntons’ Refreshing Rewards® is a customer loyalty program that provides guests with discounts on gas and rewards based on their number of visits, not the dollar amount spent. More than 1,000,000 Refreshing Reward® card users are already registered. Learn more about Thorntons Refreshing Rewards® at www.thorntonsinc.com.

About the Kids In Need Foundation

The Kids In Need Foundation’s mission is to ensure that every child is prepared to learn and succeed by providing free school supplies nationally to students most in need. The Kids In Need Foundation has distributed more than $700 million in school supplies since its founding, directly benefiting 4.2 million students and more than 120,000 teachers annually. We are a national 501(c)(3) charitable organization founded in 1995. For more information, visit kinf.org, and join us at twitter.com/kidsinneed & facebook.com/kidsinneed.

About CBS EcoMedia Inc.

EcoMedia was founded in 2002 by social entrepreneur Paul Polizzotto. The company’s mission is to harness the power of the advertising dollar to make tangible, quality of life improvements in communities nationwide. In 2010, after successfully partnering on a wide range of environmental projects, EcoMedia was acquired by CBS Corporation, exponentially scaling its reach across television, radio, interactive, and publishing media. 

Through EcoMedia’s patent-pending EducationAd, WellnessAd, EcoAd, and Viewers to Volunteers advertising programs, national brands and local businesses provide millions of dollars in financial support to some of the nation’s most effective nonprofit organizations, funding critical veterans, education, wellness, and environmental projects nationwide. 

EcoMedia’s innovative and proprietary business model has fundamentally altered the advertising and nonprofit landscapes, elevating the ordinary, traditional commercial – and media, in general – into a catalyst for tangible, quantifiable social change.

EcoMedia has earned numerous awards and recognitions for its work, including the U.S. Conference of Mayors Award for Excellence in Public Private Partnerships (2009), Edison Awards for Social Innovation and Social Impact (2012, 2013), and the Starlight Children’s Foundation’s “General H. Norman Schwarzkopf Leadership Award,” which honors individual and organizational leaders who are doing extraordinary work to advance the common good and strengthen their communities.

Please visit ecomediacbs.com, like us at Facebook, or follow us on Twitter. 

By participating in EcoMedia’s EcoAd, WellnessAd, EducationAd, and Viewers to Volunteers advertising programs, EcoMedia’s advertisers agree to provide funding for projects we believe will have a beneficial effect upon the environment, health and/or education within local communities. EcoMedia’s advertising programs are not certification programs nor are the EcoAd, WellnessAd or EducationAd logos seals of approval. EcoMedia does not in any way certify, endorse or make any representations about EcoMedia program advertisers, their products or services.

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Press Contact:

Theresa Schieber

Theresa.schieber@ecomediacbs.com

212-975-3471