More than 4,000 Greenville County students will start the school year with new backpacks stocked with free school supplies thanks to supporters of United Way of Greenville County’s annual School Tools project.

For 20 years, United Way has offered the program to Greenville County as a way to support education and financial stability for families by alleviating some of the financial burden felt at the beginning of a new school year.

“We are inspired by the donors and volunteers who have stepped up to ease the back-to-school burden felt by so many families in our community,” said Meghan Barp, president and CEO of United Way of Greenville County. “Thanks to their generosity, our community’s students will start the school year ready to learn.”

Families visited one of three locations across the county to receive the supplies from United Way volunteers. Host sites included Sterling School in Greenville, Center for Community Services in Simpsonville, and Foothills Family Resource Center in the North Greenville area.

More than 100 local companies donated backpacks and supplies, and many more individual donors contributed financial gifts to purchase additional supplies. Nearly 300 volunteers assisted in sorting and distributing this year’s donations.

Families who were unable to attend a School Tools distribution event are encouraged to contact their child’s school for information on how to access additional supplies.

Participating companies include:

3M Company
Action Research Corporation
Advance America
AECOM Technical Services, Inc.
Allen Tate Realtors
AMBLING
Arthur J. Gallagher Risk Management Services, Inc.
BASF
Bausch + Lomb
BE&K Building Group
Bennett Equipment and Supply Co. Inc
BHHS, C. Dan Joyner – Garlington Road Office
BHHS, C. Dan Joyner – Pleasantburg Office
BMW Manufacturing Co, LLC
Bon Secours St. Francis Health System
Brown & Brown of SC Inc.
Canal Insurance Company
Carolina Alliance Bank
Carolinas Telco Federal Credit Union
CBRE, Inc.
Center for Community Services
Coldwell Banker Caine
Day & Zimmerman
Design Strategies, LLC
Duke Energy
Elliott Davis
EP+CO
Esurance
Eurokera
Fabri-Kal Corporation
Find Great People, Intl.
First Baptist Church, Greenville
Foothills Family Resources
Ford Motor Credit
Fox Rothschild LLP
Furman University
Gallivan, White & Boyd, P.A.
GE
Getronics
Godshall Professional Recruiting & Staffing
Goldsmith Company
Goodwill Industries
GOS
Gower Corporation
Greenville Civitan Club
Greenville Country Club
Greenville County Library System
Greenville County School District
Greenville Marriott
Greenville Technical College
Greenwood Genetic Center
Greer Commission of Public Works
Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A.
HomeTrust Bank
Hubbell Lighting, Inc.
Hyatt
Immedion, LLC
Industrial Project Innovation (IPI), LLC
Integrated Power Services, LLC
ITW – Hartness International, Inc.
J. Freeman & Associates
J.L. Mann High School Beta Club
JOY Real Estate
JTEKT
JTEKT Automotive
KCI Technologies
Keller Williams Greenville Central
KPMG LLP
Lima One Captial
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Greenville
LS3P Associates LTD.
Marsh USA Inc
Master PT
Meals on Wheels of Greenville, Inc.
MetLife
NAI Earle Furman, LLC
Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP
NETXUSA, an Ingram Micro Company
New Horizon Family Health Services
Nutra Manufacturing, Inc.
Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
O’Neal Inc.
Prisma Health
Propel HR, Inc.
Recruiting Solutions
Resurgent Capital Services
Retail Business Services
Rexnord Industrial Services
SC Telco Federal Credit Union
Sealed Air
Solvay
Solvay Specialty Polymers
SourceLink
South State Bank
Southern First Bank
Starbucks Five Forks
TD Bank
The Blood Connection, Incorporated
The Hultquist Firm
The Reynolds Company
The Salvation Army
Thomas McAfee Funeral Homes
Tile & Marble Gallery
UBS Financial Services Inc.
United Community Bank
United Health Group
Upcountry History Museum
UPS Inside Sales Division
Verizon Wireless
Womble Bond Dickinson
World Acceptance
WYFF 4