Office Depot Hosts 'Backpack Donation Day' on August 16 With an Event in Cincinnati

CINCINNATI, Aug. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --

WHAT: Office Depot , a leading global provider of office products and services, will celebrate "Backpack Donation Day" by hosting an event in West Chester, Ohio. In collaboration with the company's National Backpack Program, more than 2,150 backpacks will be presented to 13 different non-profit organizations and elementary schools that work with disadvantaged children. Jose Alvarez, Board of Trustees President for the Township of West Chester, will also attend the event and present backpacks containing basic school supplies with Office Depot executives to children. The backpack event will take place at the company's retail store in West Chester at 7610 Voice of America Drive. This year, through the National Backpack Program, Office Depot will donate more than 300,000 backpacks containing basic school supplies to underprivileged and "at-risk" kids through area non- profit organizations and Title One schools that help kids throughout the country -- just in time for kids heading back to school. Office Depot began offering its signature charitable in-kind Backpack Program in 2001. Since its inception and including this year, Office Depot will have placed more than 880,000 backpacks in the hands of children across North America. Additionally, in an effort to reach out to the community at large, Office Depot also invited qualified non-profit organizations to submit requests for backpacks through its Community Relations Website for the first time. From these requests, recipients were selected and many of those who submitted requests will receive backpacks at the scheduled events. Office Depot's deep commitment to "Caring and Making a Difference," especially in the communities in which it operates, inspires the office supply giant to become involved with causes and organizations that make a profound social impact. WHEN: The event will take place August 16, 2005 and begin promptly at 2:00 p.m. WHO: * Jose Alvarez, Board of Trustees President for the Township of West Chester * Office Depot Store Managers and District Managers * Representatives, board members, and children from the following greater Cincinnati-area based organizations will be in attendance at the events and accept the backpacks containing school supplies from Office Depot executives: - ACCESS, Inc. - ACT - Anthony Munoz Foundation - Big Brothers Big Sisters (Butler County) - Burton Elementary School - Children's Protective Service/Families FORWARD - Dominican Community Services - FOCAS - Joseph Heberle School - Memorial, Inc. - ProKids - Seven Hills Neighborhood Houses - The Women's Connection WHERE: Office Depot's Retail Store 7610 Voice of America Drive West Chester, OH 45069 Cross Streets: Cox Road and Tylersville Road (513) 831-2850 VISUALS: Backpack Donations to organizations and children. Photo Opportunity and media interviews with representatives from Office Depot and benefiting organizations and children receiving backpacks.

Members of the media, both print and broadcast, are encouraged to attend. Photos and interviews will follow the events. For media representatives that are unable to attend, photographs from the events will be available by contacting Lisa Black at lblack@jkggroup.com; Seth Bidder at sbidder@jkggroup.com; Jillian Rosen at jrosen@jkggroup.com; or Sarah Clark at sclark@jkggroup.com.

For more information, please contact: Lauren Garvey JKG Group Ph: 561-989-9931, ext 101 Cell Phone: 561-702-0178 lauren@jkggroup.com Lisa Black JKG Group Ph: 561-989-9931, ext 103 lblack@jkggroup.com