13th Annual Henry Schein Back-to-School Program Serves Record Number of Children
MELVILLE, N.Y., Sept 02, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --
Henry Schein, Inc. (Nasdaq: HSIC), the largest provider of health care products and services to office-based practitioners, is helping a record number of children return to school wearing new outfits and carrying backpacks filled with school supplies and hygiene products through the 13th annual Henry Schein Back-to-School program. This year, the Back-to-School program is supporting more than 2,200 children in 15 U.S. and Canadian cities. Since its creation in 1998, this flagship initiative of Henry Schein Cares, the Company's global social responsibility program, has served approximately 11,000 children throughout North America.
The largest of the Back-to-School event will take place today at the Company's world headquarters in Melville, N.Y. A picnic, including dinner, games and music, will be held for nearly 600 Long Island children who were identified with the help of eight local social service agencies in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. During the event, the children will receive their backpacks, as well as new, first day back-to-school outfits personally selected and paid for by Team Schein Members. Additional Henry Schein Back-to-School events have taken place throughout August in Denver, Pa.; Sparks, Nev.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Bastian, Va.; Indianapolis, Ind.; West Allis, Wis.; Grapevine, Texas; American Fork, Utah; Greenville, S.C.; Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario; Montreal, Quebec; Calgary, Alberta; Halifax, Nova Scotia; and Vancouver, British Columbia.
"Of our many annual Henry Schein Cares events, the Back-to-School program is special because it so closely links Team Schein Members with children in many of the local communities where we operate," said Gerry Benjamin, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer for Henry Schein.
"We also are very grateful to our supplier partners and the many local businesses that have generously donated products or provided other support for the program. Back-to-School truly is a labor of love for Team Schein that we believe enhances the overall wellness of the participating children, whose smiles make preparing for this event very rewarding."
To help identify children to participate in the 2010 Back-to-School event at Henry Schein's headquarters, the Company partnered with Family and Children's Association / Family Ties; MPowering Kids; the Nassau County Department of Social Services; the Family Service League; YES Community Counseling; the Grenville Baker Boys and Girls Club; and MercyFirst.
"School can be challenging enough for children without the added burden of inadequate clothing or supplies," said Mark Wenzel, Assistant Director of YES Community Counseling, which is participating in Henry Schein's Back-to-School program for the first time this year. "These fashionable new outfits and filled backpacks will help participating children fit in more comfortably with their classmates and enable them to focus their attention on what is really important--making the most of their educational opportunity."
In addition to advancing wellness, activities supported by Henry Schein Cares focus on building capacity in the delivery of health care services and enhancing emergency preparedness and relief.
To view photos and video from the Henry Schein Back-To-School program, please visit http://www.henryschein.com/us-en/Corporate/BackToSchool.aspx
About Henry Schein
Henry Schein, a Fortune 500(R) company and a member of the NASDAQ 100(R) Index, is recognized for its excellent customer service and highly competitive prices. The Company's four business groups - Dental, Medical, International and Technology - serve more than 600,000 customers worldwide, including dental practitioners and laboratories, physician practices and animal health clinics, as well as government and other institutions. The Company operates through a centralized and automated distribution network, which provides customers in more than 200 countries with a comprehensive selection of more than 90,000 national and Henry Schein private-brand products in stock, as well as more than 100,000 additional products available as special-order items. Henry Schein also provides exclusive, innovative technology offerings for dental, medical and veterinary professionals, including value-added practice management software and electronic health record solutions.
Headquartered in Melville, N.Y., Henry Schein employs more than 13,500 people and has operations or affiliates in 23 countries. The Company's net sales reached a record $6.5 billion in 2009. For more information, visit the Henry Schein Web site at www.henryschein.com.
SOURCE Henry Schein, Inc.