Paper Mate® Partners with Max Greenfield and AdoptAClassroom.org to Surprise Teachers in Need with Funds for Their Classrooms in Celebration of Teacher Appreciation Week

Through their partnership, Paper Mate® has helped AdoptAClassroom.org equip 20,000 teachers and more than 500,000 students with the supplies they need to succeed in their schools

ATLANTA, April 24, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Paper Mate®, a #1 Teacher Choice brand and part of the Newell Brands global portfolio of brands, today announced its partnership with actor and children's book author, Max Greenfield, alongside its non-profit partner, AdoptAClassroom.org, to kick off the brand's Thanks to Teachers initiative. In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week (May 8-12), Paper Mate is thanking teachers for everything they do for their students by donating $1 for every Paper Mate product purchase to teachers in need.¹

"With teachers spending an average $750 out-of-pocket each year to ensure their students have the tools they need to thrive in school², we recognize the financial challenges teachers face," said Gina Lazaro, Vice President, Brand Management, Learning & Development at Newell Brands. "At Paper Mate, we want to help ease this financial burden by providing funding for teachers across the country to use toward stocking their classrooms with the supplies their students need for the school year, and we're excited to do that with our Thanks to Teachers initiative."

To kick off the program, Paper Mate and Greenfield visited the Accelerated Charter Elementary School (ACES), a high-need school in the greater Los Angeles area, to announce Paper Mate's $20,000 donation to the school. These funds will be distributed evenly among the school's teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week, so they can purchase school supplies via their AdoptAClassroom.org account.

"When Paper Mate reached out and explained what they were doing, I jumped at the opportunity to be a part of this initiative," says Greenfield. "Teacher Appreciation Week should be every week, but it's a good reminder to everyone how much our teachers do, how important they are and how much they give to our children. To be able to designate a week when we can express the gratitude we have for our teachers is really important."

After presenting the school with the donation and an exclusive reading of his book, I Don't Want to Read This Book, Greenfield shared his gratitude for educators by visiting each classroom and working one-on-one with students to write thank you notes to their teachers and delivering custom gift bags full of Paper Mate's #1 Teacher Choice school supplies, including Paper Mate Flair Pens, InkJoy Gel Pens, Clearpoint Mechanical Pencils, and more to get them started on fulfilling their classroom needs.

Greenfield has always had a deep appreciation for teachers, finding an even stronger sense of gratitude during the COVID-19 pandemic when he attempted to homeschool his daughter. During this time, he experienced firsthand some of the challenges of being an educator, making him a natural partner for this initiative. Max Greenfield and Paper Mate are encouraging everyone to thank their teachers, past and present, for their hard work and dedication, and encourage the use of the hashtag #ThankstoTeachers when sharing on social media.

To make an impact, Paper Mate will be donating a total of $100,000 to teachers across the United States who will be able to access the funds through their AdoptAClassroom.org account. Paper Mate invites consumers to join their efforts when shopping for teachers this Teacher Appreciation Week, noting the Paper Mate Flair Pen, available at major retailers, including Amazon, Walmart, Target and Staples, is beloved by teachers and students alike, and for a limited time, counts toward the $1 donation from Paper Mate sales helping to drive this campaign forward.¹

To learn more about Paper Mate's partnership with Max Greenfield, AdoptAClassroom.org, their donations and the brand's commitment to teachers, visit papermate.com or follow Paper Mate's social channels.

About Paper Mate®
For more than 75 years, Paper Mate has been a leader in the world of writing instruments, providing progressive, performance-driven pens, pencils and correction products. Today, with its recognizable two hearts logo, Paper Mate boasts a wide range of products to help create meaningful connections through writing. Paper Mate is part of the Newell Brands global portfolio of leading brands. 

About Newell Brands
Newell Brands (NASDAQ: NWL) is a leading global consumer goods company with a strong portfolio of well-known brands, including Rubbermaid, Sharpie, Graco, Coleman, Rubbermaid Commercial Products, Yankee Candle, Paper Mate, FoodSaver, Dymo, EXPO, Elmer's, Oster, NUK, Spontex and Campingaz. Newell Brands' beloved, planet friendly brands enhance and brighten consumers lives at home and outside by creating moments of joy, building confidence and providing peace of mind.   

This press release and additional information about Newell Brands are available on the company's website, www.newellbrands.com.

About AdoptAClassroom.org
AdoptAClassroom.org believes every child deserves the tools and materials they need to learn and succeed in school. The national, tech-based nonprofit connects donors and sponsors with PreK-12 teachers and schools to help equip more classrooms and students with school supplies. Since 1998, AdoptAClassroom.org has raised $57 million and supported more than 5.8 million students across the U.S. The 501(c)(3) holds the highest 4-star rating from Charity Navigator and the highest transparency rating offered by GuideStar. For more information, or to make a donation, please visit www.adoptaclassroom.org.

SOURCE Newell Brands