CoStar Group Donates 180,000 Masks to Richmond Public School Students

For the second year in a row, CoStar Group was the presenting sponsor for the annual Ultimate Backpack Supply Drive in Richmond, VA. Partnering with Virginia Commonwealth University and Communities in Schools, CoStar Group donated a total of 180,000 masks which were included in personal protective equipment (PPE) kits for Richmond Public School students this year.   

The Ultimate Backpack Supply Drive program provides students with school supplies free of charge to support local schools, neighborhood resource centers and non-profit organizations. In 2019, CoStar Group donated 6,000 backpacks - packed by CoStar Group Richmond employees – for Richmond Public Schools middle schoolers. This year, due to COVID-19, the event looked a bit different, with volunteers packing PPE kits featuring CoStar Group masks and school supplies for virtual learning.

The first 90,000 masks – designed by CoStar Group’s Marketing Design team – were donated at the drive to be included in the PPE kits. The second 90,000 masks will feature designs created by Richmond Public School students during the first part of the school year. Masks will be designed this week to coincide with National Arts in Education Week. Winners of the “Mighty Mask Design Challenge” will be announced at the end of October. The second set of masks featuring students’ winning designs are expected to be distributed to students later this year.

More than 21,000 PPE kits and thousands of school supplies were collected and donated to students helping to keep them safe and to learn in a virtual environment.

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