Henry Schein Helps Children Go Back to School for Seventh Consecutive Year
MELVILLE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 2, 2004-- Over 2,200 Children Have Benefited from Annual Program Designed to Boost Self-Esteem in the Classroom
There are three sure signs that a new school year is about to begin: days are getting shorter, people are making plans for the long Labor Day weekend, and Henry Schein Team Schein Members are stuffing backpacks with terrific new first-day outfits and school supplies to make children feel great when they step back in the classroom.
Henry Schein's Back-to-School Program, a Henry Schein Cares initiative now in its seventh year, has become as predictable as the changing of the seasons, and greatly appreciated by hundreds of children ages 5-18 on Long Island and in other areas of the country where the Company operates. The program began in 1998 in Melville, N.Y., where Henry Schein (NASDAQ: HSIC), the largest distributor of healthcare products and services to office-based practitioners in the combined North American and European markets, is headquartered. That year, the Company furnished clothing and school supplies to 75 children, working with local social service organizations to identify the recipients. Since that time, the program has grown beyond the boundaries of Long Island and helped an increasing number of children each year. Including the 2004 campaign, over 2,200 children in New York, Virginia, New Jersey, Florida, Nevada, South Carolina, and Wisconsin will have benefited from the Back-to-School Program.
"We are proud to support a number of worthy programs around the world, but none surpasses the immediate positive impact in our own communities of our Back-to-School Program," said Gerry Benjamin, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer for Henry Schein. "Team Schein Members know that the simple things they are providing--shoes, clothing, a backpack with school supplies--can make school a happier and more productive experience for these children.
"They are eager to contribute their own money and free time to shop for school necessities, fill the backpacks, and distribute them to children, whose smiles are our reward. By helping to enrich the lives of children who are our neighbors, we feel that we also are enriching our own lives."
This year's program will sponsor over 700 children around the country. The highlight of each package is a fabulous back-to-school outfit, including new shoes, socks, pants or skirts, shirts, and undergarments. In addition, children receive a backpack filled with school supplies, hygiene products, and other items to make their first day of school happy, stress-free and enjoyable.
"Numerous studies have indicated the integral link between self esteem and achievement in children, and the fact that a positive self image can help steer children away from many of the potential problems they may encounter as they mature," said Donna Teichner, LCSW, Program Coordinator for the Family and Children's Association based in Minneola, New York. "Most of us remember the strong desire to fit in with our peers in school, and Henry Schein's Back-to-School Program addresses this in a meaningful way. By providing children with clothing and supplies, they are helping to close the gap between these children whose families are struggling and their classmates, boosting their self esteem and confidence at an important time."
In addition to donations by Team Schein Members and contributions from the Company, Henry Schein has inspired numerous other local businesses and Henry Schein vendors to provide valuable support for the 2004 Back-to-School program.
About Henry Schein and Henry Schein Cares
Henry Schein, a Fortune 500(R) company, 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 450,000 customers worldwide, including dental practices and laboratories, physician practices and veterinary clinics, as well as government and other institutions. The Company's sales reached a record $3.4 billion in 2003. The Company operates through a centralized and automated distribution network, which provides customers in more than 125 countries with a comprehensive selection of over 90,000 national and Henry Schein private-brand products.
Henry Schein also offers a wide range of innovative value-added practice solutions, including such leading practice management software systems as DENTRIX(R) and Easy Dental(R) for dental practices, and AVImark(R) for veterinary clinics, which are installed in over 50,000 practices; and ArubA(R), Henry Schein's electronic catalog and ordering system.
Headquartered in Melville, N.Y., Henry Schein employs more than 9,000 people and operates in 16 countries. For more information, visit the Henry Schein Web site at www.henryschein.com.
Henry Schein Cares is the cornerstone of the Company's multifaceted and coordinated social responsibility program. The mission of Henry Schein Cares is to assist in narrowing the disparity in the delivery of healthcare services and information in underserved communities, both in the United States and abroad, by providing resources to support the programs of community-based healthcare professionals and their organizations.
MULTIMEDIA AVAILABLE:
http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=4712581
CONTACT: Henry Schein, Inc.
Susan Vassallo, 631-843-5562
susan.vassallo@henryschein.com
SOURCE: Henry Schein