Charter Media, an advertising sales division of Charter Communications (News - Alert), Inc., together with a host of community sponsors around the country, are supporting the annual Operation School Supplies drive, now through September.

This new program is set up to offer school supplies to kids who are starting school in the fall.

“The need in all parts of the country has become greater over the years,” said Jim Heneghan, president of Charter Media. “Communities have filled school buses, trucks and trailers with supplies; all donated by caring people who want children to have the tools they need for a meaningful educational experience. Charter Media's goal is to help provide learning supplies for students whose academic success is threatened by a lack of those tools. Achievement should never be impeded by need.”

Many, including Melanie Dunham, of the finance department of McDowell County Public Schools in North Carolina, said that drives such as Operation School Supplies are extremely important.

According to a recent report, around 1.3 million children across the country are homeless at some time each year, and many of the children attending schools in McDowell and nearby counties are displaced from their homes. Because donated school supplies are so critical this year, Charter Media account executive Dee Rosamond has once again engaged MDI (News - Alert)/Galaxy Food Centers as local sponsors in western North Carolina to help promote the drive and serve as drop-off locations.

Operation School Supplies will happen in most Charter service areas across the country from now till September. Hallmark Channel, the exclusive sponsor of the initiative, is supplying colorful location drop-off boxes and offering donors an opportunity for family entertainment packages in a sweepstakes.

Charter is also making TV commercials to bring awareness of the program to residents, to donate during the supply drive, while community sponsors serve as drop-off locations and also promote donations of school supplies of all kinds.

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