On Thursday, July 24, the toddlers and preschool children in the Head Start program in Norwalk will receive a special delivery from Pepperidge Farm employees, who spent the last two months collecting learning materials, books, toys, and items that encourage active play.

The Head Start program, which promotes school readiness for more than 200 children from lowincome families in Norwalk, was suspended until recently, leaving the vacant classrooms and their contents in need of improvements.

Pepperidge Farm volunteers spent the company’s annual employee service day in April cleaning and painting the classrooms for the students return and simultaneously began collecting additional collecting additional items. The toy drive resulted in the collection of more than 250 new and gently used items as well as more than $1,000 in gift cards. The gift cards were used to purchase additional books, art supplies and games to reinforce classroom learning and a wide assortment of toys, including sporting and ride on play items that encourage physical activity.

Who: Head Start children ages 15 months‐5 years, administration, and teachers
Pepperidge Farm employee volunteers

What: A delivery of nearly 500 learning materials and toys for use in the Head Start
program

When: Thursday, July 24, 2014 at 10:15 a.m.

Where: Nathaniel Ely Elementary School, 11 Ingalls Ave., Norwalk, CT 06851
About Pepperidge Farm
Pepperidge Farm, Incorporated, based in Norwalk, Connecticut, is a leading provider of premium quality fresh bakery products, cookies, crackers, and frozen foods. Among the company’s most popular products are Milano® and Sausalito® cookies, Goldfish® crackers, frozen Puff Pastry, frozen garlic loaves and Texas toasts, and more than 50 varieties of fresh baked breads including Pepperidge Farm® Swirl, Farmhouse and Whole Grain and Ecce Panis® artisan breads. Pepperidge Farm was founded in Connecticut in 1937 by Margaret Rudkin, an entrepreneurial homemaker who began baking fresh bread for her allergy‐afflicted son. Today, the company has eight bakeries and more than 4,000 employees. Pepperidge Farm has been part of Campbell Soup Company since 1961.