"Stuff the Bus"
Back-to-school program 2024

How Corebridge helps kids and teachers with back-to-school supplies

Corebridge Financial is committed to making a positive impact in the communities where we work, live and serve our customers. We create charitable partnerships designed to extend financial wellness to all, advance K-12 education, support healthy and resilient communities and develop a diverse and inclusive workforce.

Ensuring that students and teachers feel supported and have the resources they need to succeed is a key component of our support for K-12 education. This fall, we harnessed the energy and generosity of our employees through a “Back-to-School Bonanza” of giving and volunteering opportunities to support students and teachers in under-resourced schools.

The signature event of this effort was our “Stuff the Bus” school supplies drive in Houston. Stuff the Bus is an initiative of the Houston Independent School District (HISD) to increase donations of school supplies for under resourced schools. As a partner of the Stuff the Bus commitment, Corebridge Financial launched a company-wide school supplies drive where all donated supplies were sent to the firm’s Houston headquarters. Volunteers organized and sorted donated supplies and “stuffed” a yellow school bus with the supplies to be donated to Houston public schools. Additionally, Corebridge donated $5,000 to the HISD Foundation to purchase essential supplies and backpacks to supplement the in-kind donations from the community.

Taking action to ensure students have a great school year

This back-to-school season, Corebridge colleagues took action in the communities we live and serve to ensure students were set up for a successful school year.

Employees across the country participated in virtual and in-person volunteer events with community partners who share our commitment to K-12 education. Altogether, we hosted a Stuff the Bus school supplies drive in partnership with Houston Independent School District (HISD) to provide school supplies for Title 1 schools within the district, assembled teacher appreciation kits for teachers in Long Beach, California and Chicago, and delivered backpacks to low-income students in Jersey City and Houston.

Studies show that students with the right school supplies do better in school*. Sadly, in under-resourced schools, most students do not have them.

While donating supplies and showing appreciation to teachers may seem like small things, Corebridge knows they can make a big impact on students, their families and teachers.

Teachers report that supplies impact class preparedness and participation, and student confidence levels, self-esteem and social engagement at school.

When we think about making ends meet, we rarely consider the supplies students need to complete their schoolwork. According to the National Education Association, parents are spending more than $200 per student for elementary, $300 for middle school and $375 for high school. For families who are struggling financially, providing the essential supplies their children need is out of reach.

When there’s no one else to ensure kids have the supplies they need to learn, teachers themselves do what they can to close the gap. That means hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars get spent out of their own paychecks just to ensure they can do their job well, and provide an equitable learning experience for their students. By providing much-needed supplies and teacher care packages, we hope to both ease the financial burden on teachers and show them they are valued and appreciated for the important work they do.

*Source: Kids in Need Foundation: Annual Teacher’s Survey