TELUS is giving free school supplies and backpacks to 13,000 Canadian youth to help support a safe and successful return to learning

The annual TELUS Kits for Kids program, led by the TELUS Community Ambassadors, provides free backpacks filled with essential school supplies and reusable face masks for vulnerable kids across the country

OTTAWA, Sept. 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TELUS is donating 13,000 backpacks filled with essential school supplies and a reusable face mask as part of its annual Kits for Kids program. Since 2006, TELUS has proudly distributed over 163,000 Kits for Kids nationwide to local schools to support students in need.

“The back-to-school season can be a trying time for many families, particularly those who are most vulnerable. This school year presents additional concerns as parents and students navigate the challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Darren Entwistle, President and CEO, TELUS. “To alleviate some of the burden, our Kits for Kids program provides backpacks laden with essential school supplies and critter masks to children whose families need them the most. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to our dedicated TELUS Community Ambassadors for their longstanding support of this initiative, as we strive to help youth realize their full potential and create a friendlier future for all Canadian families.”

Each kit includes a backpack, lined paper, exercise books, a pencil case, colouring pencils, pencils, pens, erasers, a ruler, and a TELUS WISE insert with helpful tips and resources for how to be safe online. To help stop the spread of COVID-19, this year, the kits will also include a reusable, youth-sized TELUS critter mask. The reusable cloth masks featuring TELUS’ loveable critters and nature themes are available, in youth and adult sizes, while quantities last. The masks are dual-layered, made out of 100 percent recycled polyester on the outside and 100 percent organic cotton on the inside, adhering to the guidelines set by the TELUS Medical Advisory Council.

Passionate about giving back and providing a vital connection to our local communities, 5,000 retired and current TELUS team members volunteer as TELUS Community Ambassadors in 23 clubs across B.C., Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada. In 2020, they will donate almost 200,000 care items including 150,000 hand sewn masks, 13,000 Kits for Kids (backpacks filled with school supplies and a TELUS critter mask for less-fortunate children) and 15,000 Comfort Kits (basic toiletries and comfort items for homeless and displaced families).