Yoobi Highlight: Our National Give Partner, Kids In Need Foundation

One of the most important pieces of the Yoobi puzzle in preparing for our launch last June, was to select a non-profit partner who could help fulfill Yoobi’s One for You, One for Me mission on a national scale. Enter the Kids In Need Foundation (KINF)…!

After being introduced to KINF, it quickly became clear that we had met our ideal match. KINF, founded nearly 20 years ago, is a national 501(c)(3) charitable organization with offices in Dayton, Ohio, and Minneapolis, Minnesota. KINF’s mission is to ensure that every child is prepared to learn and succeed by providing free school supplies to students most in need. To date, KINF has distributed more than $550 million in school supplies, directly benefitting 3.6 million students and 120,000 teachers annually. (Read: That’s a lot!)

KINF supports its mission through a national network of resource centers that include 32 facilities where teachers from low-income schools go to obtain free school supplies for their classrooms. But they don’t stop there. KINF also participates in a number of backpack gives, they’ve awarded over $1.5 million in teacher grants, and they provide disaster relief through their Second Responder program.

KINF enables us to reach schools and districts on a scale that would be unimaginable on our own. KINF’s decades of work with schools and districts across the country, meant that within weeks of Yoobi product going on shelves, we were able to start providing supplies to the teachers and students who need them most. Right now, thousands of Yoobi Classroom Packs are being distributed across the country, with thousands more on the way.

However, beyond their technical abilities and reach, this article would not be complete without mentioning the wonderful people of KINF. From warehouse hero Dale, to National Accounts Director Jeanne, to Executive Director Dave, and so many others (Kris, Jennifer, Jenn, Penny….), we are so grateful to work with such a talented and driven team. Their energy, experience, and sense of humor truly inspire us, and we are humbled to call them our partner in this awesome mission.

To learn more about KINF and all the amazing things they do each and every day, go to www.kinf.org.

Justin Wolff
Chief Giving Officer