Nab These School Supplies that Also Give Back to US Schools In Need

I was doing some last minute back-to-school shopping with my children at Target and I bumped into the Yoobi social good company’s display of products. Yoobi is a company that sells colorful, vibrant home, office and school supplies that give back.  For every Yoobi item purchased, Yoobi donates an item to a classroom in need right here in the U.S. Together with the Kids In Need Foundation, Yoobi has impacted more than 1.5 million kids nationwide.

This Summer, the company announced a partnership with producer, businessman and recording artist Pharell Williams and his umbrella media company called i am OTHER, a creative collective specializing in music, film, television, fashion and technology.

The resulting initiative is called Yoobi x i am OTHER  and according to a press release I received in July, it embodies a positive message about self-acceptance, individuality and motivation to meet one’s potential while giving back to those less fortunate.

Pharrell Williams described the purpose behind the collection, “Being OTHER is knowing that that which makes you different is what makes you special, and that when unique individuals come together, collectively there’s a lot of power in that.  The goal of this Yoobi x i am OTHER collection is to inspire kids and give them the confidence to celebrate their uniqueness.  We also want to inspire kids to take care of others and give back to their communities.  When I think back to my time in school, I realize how important having the right tools were in my life which is why I relate to Yoobi’s mission. It is hard enough for a child in a compromised school and educational system to do well. We need to be able to provide them with the tools they need to succeed because education is everything.”

The items are available exclusively at Target, Yoobi.com and Yoobi’s flagship store.  The collection features over 50 unique items including a wide range of i am OTHER designed notebooks and binders, backpacks, pens and pencils, folders, lunch bags, and more.

“This is a complicated time in the world. We wake up every day with a responsibility to make our kids feel safe and to answer their challenging questions.  Now more than ever it is important for them to feel supported and empowered to embrace their differences and sameness, their faults and perfections. Knowledge isn’t just what is taught in books, but teaching tolerance, acceptance, love and most of all, compassion for others. Teachers today have a lot on their plate, and together with

Yoobi’s CEO and Co-Founder Ido Leffler chimed in: “Pharrell and i am OTHER, we want to help make a part of their job a little easier – by providing the right tools to ensure everyone starts on the same playing field and has the same opportunities to succeed, while sharing a message that we believe will resonate and inspire.”

The items were created with the input of children who participated in a focus group. Learn more about the partnership, Yoobi and iamOTHER here:

And at a recent launch this August 10 that I missed getting my invitation to, I noticed that our blog subject alums Christina Milian and Mayte Garcia attended the Los Angeles, California event.

Here are some of the items you can get: