Fourteen students sponsored with educational support, thanks to community generosity

From 26 December to 11th February, Officeworks Nowra's fundraising has contributed $9300 to the total $1.3 million raised by Officeworks stores across the nation during its 2024 Back to School Appeal.

Funds which were raised by community donations online and in-store will go to The Smith Family's Learning for Life sponsorship program.

The program helps 2,000 children and families impacted by poverty afford the cost of their child's essential school supplies like uniforms, books and excursions, as well as providing personal support and extra educational programs to help students stay motivated and connected to their learning.

The Smith Family chief executive Doug Taylor said they were grateful for the ongoing support from Officeworks.

"Their generous customers and passionate team members, who have come together to support young Australians with their education," Mr Taylor said.

"When young people start school without the essentials they need to keep up with their peers, they risk falling behind and disengaging from their learning.

"With this long term, wrap-around support, even more students will be able to stay engaged at school and make the very most of their education."

Over the course of its more than a decade long partnership with The Smith Family, Officeworks' customers and team members have contributed more than $9 million through the retailer's annual Back to School Appeal, enabling The Smith Family to provide more than 14,000 one-year Learning for Life scholarships for students across Australia.

Officeworks Nowra store business manager Wayne Remnant said the team were proud to have raised such an amount of funds with the Nowra community.

"I would like to thank each and every customer and team member who contributed to this year's appeal and supported The Smith Family's Learning for Life sponsorship program and the vital work it does in enabling all Aussie children to have fair access to education."