WR Jarvis Landry has personally donated $15,000 to provide hygiene products to East Cleveland City School District students and families amid the global COVID-19 pandemic. Landry partnered with Meijer to secure the supply for East Cleveland Schools, which was selected as the recipient through the Cleveland Browns Foundation's "Get 2 School, Stay in the Game!" Network.
The items – including soap, shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste and other personal care products – were packaged after a special delivery by Meijer on Monday, March 30 and will be available to East Cleveland families on Monday, April 6. Families with students enrolled in East Cleveland Schools (K-12) may pick up supplies from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at Shaw High School, Superior Elementary School and Caledonia Elementary School, as quantities remain available.
As a result of Landry's contribution and the Midwestern retailer's efforts, the partnership estimates more than 1,300 families will receive the much-needed personal hygiene products to support their overall health and wellness, as well as their at-home learning while schools remain closed.
"Although we are facing unprecedented challenges right now, it is important to remember that we are all in this together," said Landry. "I love the City of Cleveland, and I want to make sure our communities have the support that they need to stay safe and healthy. We hope these items will help ease burdens and protect the well-being of the families and students of East Cleveland."
"Now more than ever, every member of our community should have what they need to stay healthy," said Cathy Cooper, Senior Director of Community Partnerships and Giving for Meijer. "We were glad to help Jarvis make his idea for supporting the health of East Cleveland families a reality."
"The East Cleveland City School District is thankful for the generous donations from Jarvis Landry and Meijer Grocery Stores," said East Cleveland City Schools Chief Executive Officer and Superintendent Dr. Henry Pettiegrew II. "The personal and dental hygiene items are needed by our families as we shelter in place and stop the spread of COVID-19. One of our five commitments of our Road to Academic Recovery and Revitalization Plan is 'Together We are East Cleveland,' and we truly appreciate the support to help members of our community during an unprecedented pandemic."
"We are incredibly proud of Jarvis' and Meijer's generosity to assist East Cleveland families by supplying personal hygiene products while they continue to advance their education at home during these unprecedented times," said Vice President of the Cleveland Browns Foundation Renee Harvey. "One of the 'Get 2 School' Network's key pillars is identifying and eliminating barriers that may impact a student's ability to be fully prepared to learn every day, including factors in and outside the classroom. By providing these items, we can address a critical need within their homes that also promotes positive self-esteem, which can significantly impact a student's engagement with school assignments."
Through the "Get 2 School" Network, the Browns encourage students to get to school every day so that they can succeed in the classroom and prepare for the future. Studies show that young students who are in class each day ready to learn are twice as likely to be reading on or above their respective grade level by third grade.
The Cleveland Browns Foundation, in partnership with the Ohio Department of Education and Harvard University's Proving Ground, comprise the "Get 2 School" Network. The group collaborates with districts across the state, including East Cleveland Schools, to raise awareness and remove barriers associated with chronic absenteeism, which is defined as students missing 10 percent of the school year for any reason. For more information about the "Get 2 School" Network, visit Get2School.org.
About the Cleveland Browns and Browns Give Back:
The Browns Give Back to Northeast Ohio with a commitment to education and youth football while engaging the community through the team's signature First and Ten volunteer movement. For more information, visit www.clevelandbrowns.com/brownsgiveback.
Education – The Cleveland Browns are dedicated to improving the quality of education for students in Ohio by making investments that keep kids in school every day so they can succeed, highlighted by the "Get 2 School, Stay in the Game!" Network. The "Get 2 School" Network is a statewide initiative designed to promote the importance of school attendance and put an end to chronic absenteeism. The team engages local schools and promotes quality education by using attendance data and feedback from families to build a school-going culture, uncover and reduce common barriers to attendance and support engagement opportunities for students to thrive. To learn more, visit Get2School.org.
Youth Football – The Cleveland Browns are committed to assisting the development, safety and growth of youth and high school football throughout Northeast Ohio with year-round programming for players, coaches, officials and parents. Through camps, clinics and other initiatives, the Browns' goal is to promote healthy, social, emotional, intellectual and physical development of youth by enhancing opportunities for youth football participation and education.
First and Ten – Launched in June 2014, the Cleveland Browns First and Ten campaign is the team's community program, established to inspire fans to #give10 and help their communities by volunteering for 10 hours each year. Through First and Ten, the Browns are the only NFL club to promote a long-term volunteering program that unifies the team and its entire fan base, with the goal of impacting every individual's city across the globe, as well as the franchise's local community. To date, more than 2 million hours of volunteering have been pledged through First and Ten. All Browns fans are encouraged to join the volunteering effort by signing the First and Ten pledge on the team's website and by sharing their stories with #give10.
About Meijer:
Meijer is a Grand Rapids, Michigan-based retailer that operates 248 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin. A privately-owned and family-operated company since 1934, Meijer pioneered the "one-stop shopping" concept and has evolved through the years to include expanded fresh produce and meat departments, as well as pharmacies, comprehensive apparel departments, pet departments, garden centers, toys and electronics. For additional information on Meijer, please visit www.meijer.com. Follow Meijer on Twitter @twitter.com/Meijer and @twitter.com/MeijerPR or become a fan at www.facebook.com/meijer.
