Manassas, VA (1/17/2023) – Last Wednesday, Didlake donated about 300 books for elementary to middle school-age children to SPARK (Supporting Partnerships and Resources for Kids), the education foundation for Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS). Didlake raised money for the books through donations to the Toys for Tots Literacy Program at its The UPS Store franchises.
“SPARK, the education foundation for PWCS, is grateful for the wonderful donation of books from Didlake and The UPS Stores. It is support from community partners such as these that allow our foundation to continue to provide invaluable resources to our education community here at Prince William County Public Schools,” said Dawn Davis, Executive Director of SPARK, after accepting the books from Joe Diaz, Didlake COO, and April Chervenka, Business Manager of The UPS Stores for Didlake. SPARK engages community partners to fund and promote initiatives that enhance educational excellence.
Didlake currently owns two The UPS Store franchises – one in Center at Innovation in Manassas and the other on the campus of George Mason University in Fairfax. The donations were collected at these two stores as well as at The UPS Store in Woodbridge, which Didlake owned from 2015 until the first of December. This was Didlake’s second donation through the fundraising program; last month, Didlake donated books to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Prince William County.
“We greatly appreciate the opportunity to give back to our local community through this fundraising effort. We have no doubt the books will go to great use by SPARK and teachers in Prince William County, as well as by the Boys and Girls Clubs. It’s a small token of our appreciation for everything these organizations do to shape the lives of youth in our area. Thank you to all of our customers who opted to round up their purchases to make these donations possible,” said Joe Diaz, Didlake COO.
The UPS Store, Inc. is the exclusive sponsor of the Toys for Tots Literacy Program, an initiative of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation that’s dedicated to supporting childhood literacy across the U.S. The UPS Stores, which are independently owned and operated, collect donations year-round through customer rounded-up purchases to benefit children in need. The Toys for Tots Literacy Program then sends a collection of Scholastic books for children in grades K-5+ to the participating stores and the store owners select a local charity supporting children in need to receive the books.
Launched in 2008, the Toys for Tots Literacy Program offers the nation’s most economically disadvantaged children the ability to compete academically and to succeed in life by providing them direct access to books and educational resources that enhance their ability to read and to communicate effectively. The UPS Store network has contributed nearly $8 million dollars and distributed more than 44 million books throughout the nation.
About Didlake
Didlake Inc. is a nonprofit rehabilitative services organization headquartered in Manassas, Virginia. It was founded in 1965 to create opportunities for people with disabilities through services that connect them to employment, education and the community. Through its Day Support, Employment Services, and Workforce Support and Development programs, Didlake serves over 2,000 people with disabilities annually throughout Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. Didlake is licensed by the Commonwealth of Virginia, accredited by CARF, is CIMS-GB-certified, and proudly serves the nation through the AbilityOne® Program.
