September marked the start of the school year for most U.S. students.  And for many families struggling to manage more fundamental expenses, like food, clothing and rent, school comes as just another unwelcome expense.  As school budgets lose funding year after year, families find themselves with an ever-expanding list of mandated back-to-school supplies.  Experts estimate that the per-child cost of classroom supplies can be as much as $200 in some areas, an average increase of 25% over 2010.

Last month, through ACCESS Operation GIVE, team members from ACCESS Destination Services partnered with our colleagues in the hospitality industry for the second time to organize a school supply drive for families in our community.  We purchased, assembled and distributed more than 125 Back-to-School kits for students in grades kindergarten through 6^th.  Kits contained paper, pencils, erasers, rulers and other classroom supplies. With help from our industry partners, packages were then distributed to families who had the greatest need.

Participating in the ACCESS Operation GIVE School Supply Drive gave ACCESS team members and our partners a wonderful sense of purpose. While our team regularly designs and produces CSR programming elements for clients that add meaning into meetings©, having an opportunity to give back in the communities where we live and work has always been an important component of our company culture.  And programs that benefit children not only hold a special place in my heart, they align with our company values.