* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.
          [Citywide School Supply Drive Press Conference]
          [00:00:07]
          ANNUAL SCHOOL DRIVE, WHICH WAS FORMERLY KNOWN AS BUILD A BACKPACK OVER THE PAST 16 YEARS, CITY EMPLOYEES HAVE DONATED AN ESTIMATED 13,000 BACKPACKS TO ACHIEVE THIS MILESTONE BECAUSE THE CITY OF AUSTIN EMPLOYEE GENEROSITY AND THE PAST LEADERSHIP OF THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE AND HER STAFF WHO MADE THIS EVENT POSSIBLE, UH, BEFORE I BEGIN MY BRIEF REMARKS, I WANT TO EXTEND A HUGE THANK YOU TO A LIST OF INDIVIDUALS AND ROUTES TO CITY OF BOSTON VOLUNTEERS, WHICH IS A CITY SPONSORED VOLUNTEER PROGRAM. 
          THANK YOU FOR LEADING THIS EFFORT TO THE CITY OF  EMPLOYEES. 
          YOU CONTRIBUTE TO THIS YEAR AT SCHOOL DRIVE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY AND TO THE COUNTLESS OTHERS WHO ARE HERE TODAY TO HELP COORDINATE AND PARTICIPATE IN THE EVENT. 
          WE SINCERELY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. 
          THE SCHOOL DRIVE WILL HELP OUR SKIN SCRIBE IN THIS COMING SCHOOL YEAR. 
          YOUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT GOES TOWARDS PROVIDING BACKPACKS AS WELL AS NEEDED SCHOOL SUPPLIES FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE THEIR SUPPLIES SO THAT OUR CARE AND OUR CHILDREN CAN HAVE A SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL YEAR. 
          AND YOUR GENEROSITY IS ON FULL DISPLAY THROUGH TODAY'S COLLECTION. 
          IN PRESENTATION, CITY OF BOSTON, EMPLOYEES ARE KNOWN FOR MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND A COMMITMENT TO SERVING OUR RESIDENTS TO THE RECIPIENTS YOU ARE HERE TODAY. 
          YOU ARE FUTURE COMMUNITY LEADERS AND WE CARE ABOUT YOU. 
          AND WE WANT YOU TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL YEAR ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN. 
          THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. 
          AS WE HAD IN THE PAST, WE HAD PARTNERED WITH AUSTIN PARTNERS IN EDUCATION TO IDENTIFY SCHOOLS. 
          SHE DISTRIBUTED THE SUPPLIES, AND I WILL NOW HAND THE BIKE OVER TO KATHY JONES, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR AUSTIN PARTNERS IN EDUCATION. 
          HI, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INVITING US TO BE HERE WITH YOU ALL TODAY. 
          WE ARE HONORED TO HAVE BEEN PART OF THIS PARTNERSHIP FOR SO MANY YEARS. 
          OUR CITY OF AUSTIN EMPLOYEES ARE SUCH A GREAT EXAMPLE OF GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO THE STUDENTS WILL AUSTIN ISD. 
          SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY TODAY AND SUPPLYING THESE SCHOOL SUPPLIES STUDENTS TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE AN AWESOME START TO THE SCHOOL YEAR. 
          ALSO WANT TO THANK THE CITY OF AUSTIN EMPLOYEES FOR THEIR HOURS AND HOURS OF VOLUNTEER TIME THAT THEY DONATE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. 
          MANY OF THEM SERVING AS MENTORS AND TUTORS THROUGHOUT THE AUSTIN SCHOOL DISTRICT. 
          SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. 
          AND LAST OF ALL, I CAN'T THINK THE CITY OF AUSTIN ENOUGH FOR BEING SUCH AN INCREDIBLE BUSINESS PARTNER, NOT JUST TO AUSTIN PARTNERS IN EDUCATION, BUT TO OUR GREATER COMMUNITY, YOU ARE A SHINING EXAMPLE OF WHAT A COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP CAN BE AND SHOULD BE. 
          SO THANK YOU. 
          AND AGAIN, WE'RE HAPPY TO BE HERE TODAY AND SHARING THIS EXCITEMENT OF DISTRIBUTING THESE SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND BACKPACKS TO THE STUDENTS. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE AWESOME IST PRINCIPAL FOR COOKIE ELEMENTARY. 
          MISS PRISCILLA SANCHEZ. 
          GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. 
          I'D FIRST LIKE TO START BY SAYING THANK YOU TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AUSTIN PARTNERS IN EDUCATION FOR THIS AMAZING OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR STUDENTS AT COOK ELEMENTARY. 
          THE FACT THAT OUR STUDENTS WERE RECEIVING BACKPACKS AND SCHOOL SUPPLIES MEANS THAT OUR FAMILIES FROM OUR CAMPUSES AND OTHER CAMPUSES HAVE LESS TO WORRY ABOUT AS THEY START THIS NEW SCHOOL YEAR. 
          THE GENEROSITY THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN EMPLOYEES HAVE SHOWN BY DONATING ALL THE SUPPLIES IS AMICABLE AND GREATLY APPRECIATED. 
          NOT ONLY BY A COOK, BUT ALL OUR AREA CAMPUSES THAT WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.