DEVON, PA - Another record-breaking backpack drive by Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices (BHHS) Fox & Roach, REALTORS® and The Trident Group resulted in $69,900 collected, a 15 percent increase from 2015! Together, with the money and supplies donated, 4,199 filled backpacks were collected. Pictured here are Gerry Griesser, Trident Group CEO, and Fox & Roach Charities vice presidents Joan Docktor, BHHS Fox & Roach president, and Ron Slizofski, EVP finance and administration, loading backpacks into the collection van.
Since 2006 BHHS Fox & Roach/Trident has collected more than 21,000 backpacks and supplies for homeless and foster care children in the tri-state area. “We are so proud to say that again, this year, we broke last year’s record,” said Griesser, “which is a testament to the generosity and caring of our BHHS Fox & Roach/Trident sales associates, employees, executives, families, friends and clients.” President of Fox & Roach Charities Kassie Erb adds, “With so many families living below the poverty level, our annual backpack drive is an important and gratifying project for our company. We were able to help these students start their school year with filled backpacks and continue to give them supplies throughout the year, helping to give confidence and the attitude to succeed in their education.”
Fox & Roach Charities, a charitable foundation sponsored by BHHS Fox & Roach/Trident, coordinated this project with the company’s sales associates and employees and partnered with Cradles to Crayons. Cradles to Crayons is a nonprofit organization that provides, free of charge, the basic necessities to children living in low-income and homeless situations. These backpacks, collected and distributed by Cradles to Crayons, were given to children in need throughout the tri-state and Lehigh Valley areas. Cradles to Crayons also provides these children with school supplies throughout the entire year.
“BHHS Fox & Roach/Trident has been one of Cradles to Crayons most important community partners in Greater Philadelphia, New Jersey and Delaware. For the past seven years, their agents and employees have raised the bar every year to collect backpacks and school supplies and we can’t thank them enough,” said Michal Smith, Cradles to Crayons executive director.
Backpacks collected will be distributed to ACHIEVEability, Bethanna, Big Brothers Big Sisters Independence Region, Boys and Girls Club of Chester, Carson Valley Children’s Aid, CASA of Philadelphia, Child Care Information Services of Montgomery County, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, CHOP Chestnut Hill, Covenant House, Domestic Abuse Project of Delaware County, Drueding Center, Elwyn, Family Promise of Delaware County, Family Services of Montgomery County, Maternity Care Coalition, Northern Children’s Services, Philadelphia Interfaith Hospitality Network, Pathways PA Center for Families, People’s Emergency Center, Resources for Human Development, Tabor Services, The Village, Turning Points for Children, Camden County Women’s Center, Hispanic Family Center of Southern New Jersey, Puerto Rican Unity for Progress, Center for Family Services, Camden County Division of Child Protection and Permanency, Mastery Charter School, West End Neighborhood House, Family Promise of Northern New Castle County, Community Bike Works, Lehigh Valley Families Together, Volunteers of America Children’s Center and National Hook-up of Black Women, Camden.
Thank you to our partners, Wayne Moving and Storage and Zippy Shell. If you would like more information on this year’s backpack challenge, please visit www.foxandroachcharities.com.
About Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach, REALTORS
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices (BHHS) Fox & Roach, REALTORS® is a part of HomeServices of America, the nation’s second largest provider of total home services. The company has more than 4,500 sales associates in over 65 sales offices across the Tri-State area. Through its affiliate, the Trident Group, the company provides one-stop shopping and facilitated services to its clients including mortgage financing and title, property and casualty insurance. BHHS Fox & Roach is the #1 broker in the nationwide BHHS network of 1,400 broker affiliates. Our company-sponsored charitable foundation, Fox & Roach Charities, is committed to addressing the needs of children and families in stressful life circumstances and has contributed over $5.2 million to more than 250 local organizations since its inception in 1995. Visit our Website at www.foxroach.com.