Shepparton Officeworks’ Back to School Appeal raises $11k

By Anna McGuinness

Feb 16, 2022

For a good cause: Officeworks Shepparton’s Paris Patafio and Riana Mulla during this year’s Back to School Appeal.

More than $11,000 has been raised through Officeworks Shepparton’s Back to School Appeal to help The Smith Family support children in need.

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The appeal drives funds to The Smith Family’s Learning for Life sponsorship program, which helps families cover the cost of school supplies, providing personal support and extra educational programs.

Officeworks Shepparton store business manager Paul Trewren said staff were blown away by the kindness and support from customers and team members for the appeal.

“We believe every student in Australia deserves access to a quality education and the tools they need to promote strong educational outcomes,” he said.

“Together with our community, we are proud to show Shepparton’s support for The Smith Family, helping to make a difference in the lives of those students who need it most.”

Now in its ninth year, the appeal raised a nationwide total of more than $1.35 million.

The Smith Family chief executive Doug Taylor said the pandemic continued to impact how students and their families approached the school year, including access to education essentials.

“With the extraordinary amount of donations this year, we can continue to address the critical issues with disadvantaged children, helping them to create better futures for themselves and break the cycle of poverty,” he said.

“We are so grateful for the number of donations we have received through the Back to School Appeal this year, thanks to the outstanding generosity of Officeworks, its team members and customers.”