The Label Printers has introduced a program that it says fits the goals of its “Go Green, Save Green, and Earn Green” sustainability program while also providing much-needed teaching materials support to local school districts. The company invited teachers from nearby USD 129 (West Aurora, IL, USA) to come to its plant and choose from any of the available materials that The Label Printers could not use in manufacturing, such as cores, labelstock and laminates, oversize papers, and miscellaneous office supplies.

Chief of Operations Lori Campbell suggested the idea to the company’s Sustainability Team after a visit to a supplier’s facility. She says, “I got the inspiration from FLEXcon during a plant tour. I mentioned it to George [Tommasi – team leader] upon my return and thought we should be able to offer something along the same lines…next thing I knew we had an Open House!”

Tommasi explains: “The Take Stock for Education program offers a variety of materials, some of which will be used with students, others may be used to decorate classrooms or as office supplies for teachers in fulfilling the administrative aspects of their positions.  These materials will not only help teachers provide a more enriched learning environment but they also save the school district critical financial resources. We are happy to have been able to help teachers and students and we look forward to expanding this program to additional school districts and offering many open houses in the future.”

Gina Ries and Dawn Tesch, members of the Sustainability Team, were equally pleased to have been able to help teachers and students. 

Says Ries, “In the past, all of this material would have gone to landfills. And, even since we began our LIFE program, they would have been recycled or gone into the waste to energy program. But it’s nice that these materials can be put to an alternate, good use in a classroom. I think it’s great, not only to give back to the community but [that] they help us achieve our goal of reducing waste.” 

“The teachers were very appreciative,” added Tesch. “They said they don’t get offers – or Open House invitations – like this very often.”
Adds Campbell, “I’m really glad we were able to do this in our community and I hope we can continue the practice. It keeps in line with our spirit of reuse and recycle and helps our local schools. At a time when school budget cuts are the topic du jour, it’s important for the business community to find inventive ways of helping out.”