NORFOLK, Va. — Shipping and logistics company CMA CGM scaled down its usual mission Tuesday — trading overseas cargo for backpacks headed to Norfolk students.
Dozens of volunteers packed 1,400 backpacks at the company's North American headquarters in Norfolk, filling them with school supplies, hygiene products and food provided by the organization Feed the Children and its partners.
Heather Wood said the company's 750 staff members and their families live in the region, making community investment a priority.
"Our focus is to bring a little joy and get these kids off to a fantastic start of the school year," Wood said.
The backpacks were assembled through CMA CGM's nonprofit arm. Everything will be turned over to the Salvation Army and a local organization called Reset, Inc.
Some of the backpacks will be distributed Saturday at Norfolk Public Schools' Unity in the Community Back to School event at Norfolk Scope. A Salvation Army representative said more will be handed out at the nonprofit's Kroc Center the following weekend.
Norfolk Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Jeff Rose, who is entering his first full year in the role, helped kick off the packing event alongside representatives from the school board and State Senator Angelia Williams Graves.
"We know as a school system that sometimes there's a line we're not able to cross successfully," Rose said.
Rose said outside support is essential to serving students.
"To educate students to the level that they deserve, we can't do that on our own," Rose said.
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