Hundreds of students across Broward County will walk into their first day of school equipped with brand-new backpacks and essential supplies, thanks to a generous community effort led by Fleet Advantage, and its charitable arm, the Kids Around the Corner (KATC) Foundation. In partnership with the Broward Education Foundation, the only 501(c)(3) organization solely dedicated to serving Broward County Public Schools, this year’s Back-to-School Backpack Drive positively impacted more than 1,000 local students.
As part of the Broward Education Foundation’s annual Back to School Supply Drive, which last year generated over $2 million in supplies for more than 130,000 students, Fleet Advantage successfully distributed 1,068 backpacks filled with essential supplies to students in Title I elementary schools. Backpacks were handed out personally by Fleet Advantage employees during school Meet and Greet events at the following locations on Friday, August 8:
- Sunshine Elementary - 7737 Lasalle Blvd, Miramar, FL 33023
- North Fork Elementary - 101 NW 15th Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311
- Endeavour Primary Learning Center - 701 NW 56th Ave, Lauderhill, FL 33313
Each backpack is tailored to support students across all grade levels and includes items such as notebooks, crayons, glue sticks, earbuds, calculators, pens, pencils, and more. The Fleet Advantage team carefully assembled and distributed the backpacks on site directly to students, creating a meaningful and engaging experience that resonated with families and school staff alike.
This year’s drive built on the success of last year’s impactful initiative, when Fleet Advantage assembled 200 backpacks—its largest effort at the time—for high school-aged children served by Henderson Behavioral Health. Fleet Advantage employees packed the backpacks during lunch breaks, and they were delivered to Henderson’s Youth & Family Program in Tamarac. In addition, KATC made monetary donations to both Henderson Behavioral Health and Kids In Distress to further support their back-to-school outreach and future youth programming.
“Every child deserves a fair chance at a quality education,” said James A. Knapp, President & CEO of Broward Education Foundation. “By providing students with the tools they need, we’re helping build their confidence and self-esteem—both of which are essential for effective learning. We are thankful to partners like Fleet Advantage for their commitment to uplifting Broward County’s Title I students.”
“Our Kids Around the Corner Foundation is committed to giving back to the communities where we live and work,” said Elizabeth Gomez, Director of Marketing and Community Outreach for Fleet Advantage. “We are honored to support the incredible efforts of the Broward Education Foundation and excited to help these students begin the new school year with the tools they need to succeed.”
The Broward Education Foundation’s broader 2025 School Supply Drive runs from July 14 through August 29, with many ways for the public to get involved—from hosting virtual drives to sponsoring schools and providing essential classroom supplies. Most needed items include backpacks, composition books, folders, highlighters, index cards, hand sanitizer, pencils, markers, and child-safe scissors.