CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Garland Company Inc. is celebrating its 125th year in business by giving back in various ways, most recently to the community it calls home. Garland reached out to Miles Park School, an elementary school located just one street away from its corporate headquarters, to see how to best support the school’s needs, especially as students navigate virtual learning and varying access to resources amid the pandemic.

Garland employees then helped fill 125 backpacks with the necessary supplies for Miles Park’s kindergarten through eighth grade students. From pencils and crayons for kindergarteners to calculators and pocket dictionaries for eighth graders, employees enjoyed lending a hand and seeing the difference these supplies could make in the lives of the local students.

The students will be continuing online learning for the rest of the semester and will receive the backpacks, supplies and uniforms upon their return to the classroom. Miles Park Principal Tamika Taylor-Ivory and Assistant Principal Christine Wade accepted the backpacks on the students’ behalf with sentiments of gratitude.

“Even though we are in another nine weeks of remote learning, the students will definitely need the supplies. Based on social distancing and protocols that limit the students’ use of lockers, these backpacks will be a great help when they return to the school. And of course, they will need the supplies of paper, pencils and everything else for all their studies. We are so appreciative of all the donations that will help our students here at Miles Park School,” said Taylor-Ivory.

The Miles Park School follows a profound motto: “Learners Today...Leaders Tomorrow.” With these backpacks of new school supplies, Garland believes these driven and talented students will be better equipped to prioritize their schoolwork to become the leaders of tomorrow.

Garland’s focus throughout its 125th anniversary year has been the slogan “Employee Built, Employee Owned.” A strong regard for ownership, cemented by Garland’s employee stock ownership plan (ESOP), is the cornerstone of Garland’s success and a driving principle for these charitable initiatives.

“This neighborhood has been our proud home for 125 years and it is such an honor to maintain our traditional values by continuing our long history of taking care of our communities. Even in these tough times, we are committed to finding new ways to give back and keep our neighbors and the great city of Cleveland thriving,” said Garland President David Sokol.

Garland’s charitable initiatives will not end here. In continued celebration of 125 years, Garland donated $15,000 as an exclusive sponsor for the Greater Cleveland Food Bank weekly distribution event Nov. 12, employees have donated over $7,000 to their favorite charities, an employee’s son was awarded a $12,500 scholarship for his college career, and additional initiatives are planned throughout the rest of this historic year.