FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
MDOT, Erin Henson, 410-865-1025 or Jim Joyner, 410-865-1030
MSDE, Lora Rakowski 410-767-0486

Boys & Girls Club, Jesse Schaefer, 410-637-3838


​(HANOVER, MD – August 11, 2022)  More than a thousand students across Maryland will go to back to school this year with pencils, paper, glue sticks and other needed items thanks to the generosity of the public and employees at the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) and the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). From July 11 to July 29, MDOT and MSDE partnered with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Maryland for their second statewide Back to School Supply Drive, collecting thousands of items and more than $2,000 in cash donations to help students prepare for the school year.

 “We put out the call, and our MDOT team, our partners at MSDE and our customers all across Maryland responded to help the Boys and Girls Clubs of Maryland prepare students for success in the classroom," said MDOT Secretary James F. Ports, Jr. “Marylanders are eager to invest in the future of our young people. The result of this drive – filling 1,000 bags with school supplies – sends a tremendous message of support for students."

During the drive, MDOT business units including the Transportation Secretary's Office, MDOT Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA), MDOT Maryland Port Administration (MDOT MPA), MDOT Maryland Aviation Administration (MDOT MAA), Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA), MDOT Motor Vehicle Administration (MDOT MVA) and MDOT State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) collected supplies from employees and customers at more than 50 locations statewide.

MSDE also conducted an internal collection drive for supplies and donations among the agency's employees statewide, and joined MDOT and the Boys and Girls Club in promoting the school supply drive on its website and social media. Additionally, the Boys and Girls Club hosted a website where monetary donations could be made specifically for school supplies.

 “MSDE appreciates this opportunity to partner with MDOT and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Maryland in this Back to School Drive, and we thank participants for supporting our students and equipping them with tools for success. These supplies are not merely pens, pencils and paper, they are instruments of imagination, creativity, learning and truth-seeking that will be applied in classrooms across the state," said State Superintendent of Schools Mohammed Choudhury. ​

“Our mission to deliver a meaningful, excellent and equitable education to every child in Maryland would be impossible without the collaboration and support of community organizations and partnerships," Superintendent Choudhury added.

Supplies and monetary donations collected will help students across Maryland. The Boys and Girls Clubs of Maryland will work with member clubs and partner nonprofits to deliver supplies to the areas with most need in every Maryland county and Baltimore City.

“The Boys & Girls Clubs of Maryland are extremely grateful to have been selected again as the partner for the MSDE and MDOT Back to School Supply Drive," said Lisa Mondoro, Chief Executive Officer, Boys & Girls Clubs of Annapolis & Anne Arundel County. “This generous display of support directly impacts the needs of students throughout the state.

“Receiving new school supplies is exciting and motivating to the thousands of youth who participate in Boys & Girls Clubs throughout Maryland," she continued, “and we're thankful for this inspiring campaign and partnership."

Mr. Ports and Ms. Mondoro took part in an event Thursday at MDOT Headquarters in Hanover to help pack some of the supplies that will be delivered. Also attending to pack supply bags were Mike McDonald, Regional Vice President, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington; Dr. Deann Collins, MSDE Deputy Superintendent of Teaching and Learning; MDOT MVA Administrator Chrissy Nizer; MDOT SHA Administrator Tim Smith; MDOT MTA Administrator Holly Arnold; MDTA Executive Director Will Pines; and MDOT MAA Director of Community and Corporate Relations Adrienne Trout.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Maryland serves more than 25,000 young people through youth development programs at nearly 40 club locations across the state. For more details on programs are services offered by the Boys and Girls Clubs of Maryland, view the website HERE, or follow them on Facebook at facebook.com/bgcmaryland/.