Office Depot Hosts 'Backpack Donation Day' With Two Events in Washington

TACOMA and SEATTLE, Wash., Aug. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --

WHAT: Office Depot , a leading global provider of office products and services, will celebrate "Backpack Donation Day" by holding two individual events in Tacoma and Seattle. In collaboration with the company's National Backpack Program, more than 5,000 backpacks will be presented to 19 different non-profit organizations and elementary schools that work with disadvantaged children. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050801/FLM019LOGO ) Backpack events will take place at the company's retail stores in Tacoma and Seattle, Washington. 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 in Tacoma will take place Tuesday August 16, 2005. The event in Seattle will take place Wednesday August 17, 2005. Both events will begin promptly at 2:00 p.m. WHO: Tacoma Event: * Office Depot Store Managers and District Managers * Representatives, board members and children from the following Tacoma-based organizations will be in attendance at the events and accept the backpacks containing school supplies from Office Depot executives: - Communities In Schools of Tacoma - The Gig Harbor Kiwanis Foundation - Clothing Closet - Martin Luther King Housing Development Association - Phoenix Housing Network - Tacoma/Pierce Habitat for Humanity - True Vine Community Services - Faith Homes - The Salvation Army - Metropolitan Development Council Seattle Event: * Office Depot Store Managers and District Managers * Representatives, board members and children from the following Seattle-based organizations will be in attendance at the events and accept the backpacks containing school supplies from Office Depot executives: - Communities In Schools of Washington State - Chinese Information and Service Center - Seattle Milk Fund - Auburn Youth Resources - Martin Sortun Elementary PTA 9772 Kent Area - Kent Youth and Family Services/Relatives as Parents Project - Friends of CASA - Families for Kids/Lutheran Community Services Northwest

The following organizations will also be receiving backpacks although they will not be in attendance at the event:

- Burlington-Edison Education Coalition For Kids (Burlington) - Lynden School District (Lynden) WHERE: Tacoma Event - Tuesday, August 16, 2005, at 02:00 p.m. Office Depot's Retail Store 3330 South 23rd Street Cross Streets: Union Avenue & Highway 16 Ph: 253-572-6595 Seattle Event - Wednesday, August 17, 2005, at 2:00 p.m. Office Depot's Retail Store 4900 25th Avenue N.E. Cross Streets: 25th Avenue N.E. and N. 45th Street Ph: 206-527-3220 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 lblack@jkggroup.com, Sarah Clark sclark@jkggroup.com or Jillian Rosen jrosen@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 Sarah Clark JKG Group Ph: 561-989-9931, ext 158 sclark@jkggroup.com