Shapiro, a 98-year-old logistics provider supports Teach For America • Baltimore in its efforts to provide quality education in low-income communities.

Shapiro, a Baltimore headquartered 98-year old Customhouse broker and international freight forwarder, recently selected Teach For America • Baltimore as the recipient of its annual holiday charity program.  Donations were made on a per-card basis on behalf of each of its customers. Founded in 1990, Teach For America, works in partnership with communities to expand educational opportunity for children facing the challenges of poverty. Teach For America recruits and develops a diverse corps of outstanding individuals of all academic disciplines to commit two years to teach in high-need schools and become lifelong leaders in the movement to end educational inequity.  Teach For America joined the Baltimore community in 1992 as one additional source of teachers for local schools.  Today, nearly 300 corps members are reaching more than 18,000 students across 118 schools in Baltimore, while more than 700 alumni work across sectors to ensure that all children have access to an excellent education.

Shapiro has been providing holiday donations on behalf of its customers, in lieu of traditional gifts, for the past five years.  Prior to 2012, the company supported St. Jude’s hospital in their mission to advance cures, and means of prevention, for pediatric catastrophic diseases.  Last year however, the tragedy and impact of Hurricane Sandy compelled Shapiro to support City Harvest in their efforts to provide emergency food drop-offs to storm affected areas.  This year, Shapiro decided to focus on two of its core values; educational development and social responsibility in the communities it serves.  Shapiro’s investment in education is echoed with the development of an internal training program, Shapiro University, which provides cross-role training for all employees.  The program gives employees the opportunity not only to attend courses, but to volunteer and create training presentations based on their expertise.

“Access to a great education should be available to all children regardless of background, ethnicity, or economic status,” says Margie Shapiro, President & CEO, Samuel Shapiro & Company, Inc. “Teach for America is committed to developing leaders to address this issue.  It is an honor to support such an important cause in a community in which we live and work.”

For more information on Teach for America, visit http://www.teachforamerica.org/