CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- One thousand students at David Cox Road Elementary School ended their first day of school with a new backpack, school supplies, and some much needed relief for their parents.

  • Office Depot donated 1,000 backpacks filled with school supplies to 10 schools across the country
  • More than 1 in 5 families haven't started back to school shopping
  • Office Depot says it will donate another 1,000 backpacks to students at Classroom Central and the Smith Family Center

Office Depot is donating 1,000 backpacks filled with school supplies to 10 schools across the country, part of its "Start Proud" program.

More than 1 in 5 families haven’t even started back to school shopping, while most households have only bought half of their supplies, according to the National Retail Federation.

Experts say it’s mainly because of cost.

“We sometimes get phone calls from parents asking which things are essential,” David Cox Road Elementary principal Celeste Spears-Ellis said. “Well, they are all essential. And we certainly don’t want to be burdensome to our families, but certainly want our students to have everything they need.”

The average family spends nearly $700 on back to school shopping, according to NRF. Spears-Ellis said the Start Proud donation cuts the students supply needs nearly in half.

Office Depot said it will donate another 1,000 backpacks to local students at Classroom Central and the Smith Family Center.

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