Los Angeles Non-Profit School on Wheels and Bazic Products Earn Two Guinness World Records
Contact: Sinead Chilton / Sandy Rodriguez
School on Wheels / Miller Geer & Assoc.
Cell: 213 905 2777 / 714-606-7075
schilton@schoolonwheels.org / sandy@millergeer.com
Los Angeles Non-Profit School on Wheels and Bazic Products Earn Two Guinness World Records for Laying the Longest Line of Backpacks and for the Most Number of Backpacks Filled with School Supplies in One Hour
More than 200 families experiencing homelessness served by School on Wheels received backpacks filled with school supplies
LOS ANGELES – (July 27, 2024) –School on Wheels, a non-profit organization dedicated to tutoring unhoused youth; Bazic Products, a SoCal based Industry leader in School and Office supplies; volunteers, sponsors, and partners have earned two Guinness World Records for lining up 7,000 backpacks and then filling all of the backpacks with school supplies in one hour.
More than 200 families served by School on Wheels attend the back-to-School event at Bazic Products headquarters in El Monte, where they were able to witness the Guinness World Records broken and enjoyed a fun-packed day with activities, entertainment, giveaways, and free shopping for all their back-to-school needs.
“We are thrilled to have earned two Guinness World Records for lining up and filling 7,000 backpacks with school supplies with our community partners and to treat the families we serve to an exciting back-to-school event,” said School on Wheels Executive Director Charles Evans. “More than 10 years ago, we created the record for the longest line of backpacks, and over the years, that record has been broken a few times and we are excited to reclaim it. We are so grateful to Bazic Products for hosting the event and providing the students we serve with a new backpack filled with much-needed school supplies for the start of the new school year.”
To meet the first Guinness World Record, School on Wheels and Bazic Products lined up 7,000 backpacks. Once this record was verified by the official Guinness adjudicator, they attempted the second world record of the day and stuffed 7,000 backpacks with school supplies in one hour. School on Wheels distributed backpacks to its students and community partners at the event.
“We wanted to celebrate our 25th anniversary as a company by giving back to our community,” said Bazic Products President Handy Hioe. “When we learned about the mission of School on Wheels and that it was a previous record holder, we knew we had to support our Guinness World Record-breaking partners with 7,000 backpacks that will go to the neediest children in our community.”
“We were excited to transport families to participate in this record-breaking back-to-school event that will benefit thousands of children in the community,” said First Student Location Manager Isaac Ruiz. “As a company that helps students succeed academically by providing them with the safest transportation to and from school, we know how important it is for children to have the right tools to succeed in their education. This is why we are proud to join School on Wheels and these other organizations in ensuring students receive the essential supplies they need to begin the new school year.”
School on Wheels, headquartered in Los Angeles, partners with more than 400 sites across Southern California—including libraries, shelters, and after-school programs to provide one-on-one tutoring. Volunteer tutors provide stability, consistency, and educational support. In 2023, 1,226 volunteers tutored 1,664 students experiencing homelessness. School on Wheels also operates its Skid Row Learning Center on 600 East 7th St., Suite 109 in Los Angeles. School on Wheels has been serving Southern California for more than 30 years.
School on Wheels serves K-12 students across six counties in southern California including Los Angeles, Orange County, Santa Barbara, and the Inland Empire. The need for tutoring and resources for students who are unhoused are on the rise. In the 2022-23 school year, LAUSD reported 9,140 homeless students, a nine percent increase from the previous academic year.
To learn more about School on Wheels visit: www.SchoolonWheels.org.
About School on Wheels
School on Wheels, Inc. is a nonprofit organization founded in 1993 by Agnes Stevens, a retired teacher. Today, hundreds of volunteers work one-on-one with children whose homelessness prevents them from receiving the academic stability and help they desperately need. The mission of School on Wheels is to enhance educational opportunities for children experiencing homelessness from kindergarten through twelfth grade. The goal is to shrink the gaps in their education and provide them with the highest level of education possible. The program spans six counties in Southern California, including Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara and Ventura, as well as a learning center in Skid Row. CONTACT School on Wheels, Inc. Sinead Chilton 213.905.2777 schilton@schoolonwheels.org
About Bazic Products
Bazic Products, headquartered in El Monte, CA has recently celebrated 25 years of serving the School Supplies industry. With more than 1500 products covering all the essential needs of school and office, Bazic Products stands committed to providing name brand quality at affordable prices. Since its inception in 1998, Bazic has been at the forefront of delivering innovation, quality, service and competitiveness to its valuable customers within the United States and in more than 60 international markets. Winner of the Crown City Innovator Award at 2023 Rose Parade, Bazic has always strived to be an active supporter of our community. At Bazic, Giving back to the community, especially to students and teachers is at the very core of its corporate philosophy.
To learn more about Bazic Products visit https://www.bazicproducts.com/about-us/