Education Starts Early: How Books-A-Million, 2nd & Charles, and Ardelyx teams spread the joy of learning to Four Title-One Elementary Schools in September
A Fresh Start to the School Year
For many students, the beginning of a school year is an exciting time. The promise of a new grade, new friendships, new teachers, and a world of possibilities through education. However, not every child shares that same feeling of anticipation. For students lacking critical school supplies, their school year may start with the feeling of being behind before they even begin. This was the motivation behind the creation of our Backpack Cheeriodical. By partnering with our corporate clients and Title I schools, Cheeriodicals designs backpack kits that are filled with the academic resources every student needs and deserves for a successful school year. More than a simple gift, a Backpack Cheeriodical provides a powerful moment of cheer that helps lay the foundation for a student’s entire academic journey.
The stories below highlight how two incredible companies joined forces with Cheeriodicals to bring cheer and opportunity to students in their local communities. Both Ardelyx and Books-A-Million/2nd & Charles mobilized their respective teams to build supply-filled Backpack Cheeriodicals for children in need across four states: Alabama, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, and California.
Books-A-Million and 2nd & Charles: The Power of Investing in Young Readers
Books-A-Million/ 2nd and Charles group photo 2025
Books-A-Million and 2nd & Charles recently gathered in Birmingham, Alabama, for their annual managers’ meeting. As a local Birmingham company ourselves, we were thrilled to participate in an event held right in our backyard. For these Alabama-based book retailers, it was important to select a Cheeriodical kit type that reflected their passion for reading and deliver a donation type that would impact their community in a unique way. What better way to show a community you value reading and education than by donating essential school supplies to a local elementary school, ensuring students kick off the year with confidence!
The teams packed 80 Backpack Cheeriodicals destined for the children of Henry J. Oliver Elementary School, located in Birmingham, AL Adding a thoughtful touch, Books-A-Million and 2nd & Charles gifted each student a bookstore gift card to spark their love of reading. These were tucked into the bookbags, a little “cherry on top” of the already impactful gift of school supplies.
On the day of the event before the kit-building began, we heard from Zaundra Bettis, the school counselor at Henry J. Oliver Elementary. Ms. Bettis emphasized the critical importance of investing in our community’s education, detailing how these donations truly make a difference in a student’s life. Inspired by her powerful words, it was time to start the build!
Everyone worked in teams to complete all the backpacks. Each team member spent time writing encouraging messages to the students and designing incredibly creative puzzles to be included in each backpack. After all the backpacks were assembled and a group photo was taken, Cheeriodicals’ amazing national partner, Two Men and a Truck Birmingham, donated their services to pack up the backpacks and deliver them to Henry J. Oliver Elementary School!
BAM/2nd & Charles Team members working on puzzle designs
Delivering Cheeriodicals to the recipients is always a special moment. For a backpack event, that moment can quickly transform an elementary gymnasium into a hurricane of cheer as sweet children say “thank you!”, give hugs, and light up with joy as they look through their new gift. The children of Henry J. Oliver were certainly no exception!
We arrived to find the kindergarten classes lined up, eagerly awaiting their surprise. Passing the backpacks out one by one, our team and a Books-A-Million representative were rewarded with the sweetest, most grateful hugs from the children. The generous addition of gift cards to both Books-A-Million and 2nd & Charles made this donation even more meaningful. This event was a truly unique way to foster the love of reading and learning for a group of new, enthusiastic students.
Delivery of backpacks to school children at Henry J Oliver Elementary
Ardelyx: A Remote Team Spreading the Gift of Education Across the Nation
Ardelyx VirtualTeam Photo
Next, we turn to our September event with Ardelyx, where our continued partnership enabled their remote team to bring cheer and support to students at three elementary schools in Wisconsin, Massachusetts, and California. For the past 2 years, Ardelyx has trusted Cheeriodicals to host a remote team-building event for 200 of their employees. This year, their September event focused on empowering students at Title I schools located in some of the same communities where their employees live and work. This led us to partner with Marvin E. Pratt Elementary in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Curtis Guild Elementary in Boston, Massachusetts, and Lincoln Elementary in Newark, California.
From across the nation, 200 members of the Ardelyx team joined a virtual team-building event hosted by Cheeriodicals. After a warm welcome, our presentation highlighted the meaningful work they were about to undertake and the positive impact it would have on their local communities. Participants then heard from Beatriz Contreras of Curtis Guild Elementary, who shared how this delivery would make a difference for her students, followed by a heartfelt message from Marvin E. Pratt Elementary. Being inspired by how their efforts would benefit students in Milwaukee, Boston, and Newark, the Ardelyx team was ready to officially begin the virtual build.
A few days before the event, each team member received a package packed with all the supplies needed to build a Cheeriodical Backpack. These kits were full of essential school supplies, fun accessories, and our favorite remote-activity: a blank puzzle just waiting to be designed by Ardelyx team members with encouraging messages for the students. Many team members even involved their families in the puzzle design and assembly experience, multiplying the cheer and creating more smiles and touchpoints within the Ardelyx community.
Ardelyx Team Members Completed Kits
At the end of the event, everyone gathered for a virtual group photo, showing off their completed work. Team members then packed their completed backpacks in the provided shipping box and shipped them to their final destination.
Just a few days later, the students at Marvin E. Pratt, Curtis Guild, and Lincoln Elementary received their brand-new backpacks. This generous donation ensured these students were able to start the school year off on the right foot.
Conclusion: Setting the Foundation for Academic Success
Henry J Oliver Students with Backpacks
Elementary school lays the foundational knowledge for a student’s entire academic career, and starting every year prepared not only helps them succeed immediately, but sets them up for success for many years to come. By engaging in our CSR focused team building events, Ardelyx and Books-A-Million/2nd & Charles didn’t just donate supplies—they invested directly in the promise of academic success for hundreds of students across the nation. We are incredibly proud to partner with companies that understand the power of community investment. Thanks to their generosity and commitment, these students are empowered with the resources they need to learn, read, and achieve their dreams, transforming moments of cheer into a foundation for a lifetime of education.
Curious About Cheeriodicals?
If you’re not already convinced to work with us after this story, we’d be thrilled to chat and share more! Let us be a part of your next team building experience!
We conduct corporate events for teams of 20 – 1,000+ attendees across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Contact corporateplanner@cheeriodicals.com to see how we can help your team make a difference to those in need of some cheer near you!