Education Partnership named Champion in Action by Citizens Bank and Trib Total Media

The Education Partnership, a nonprofit organization that provides school supplies to students and teachers in need, has been named a 2023 Champion in Action.

The $35,000 award — in Supporting Environmental Sustainability — was presented jointly by Citizens bank and Trib Total Media to The Education Partnership at its Pittsburgh headquarters in the city’s Elliott neighborhood on Thursday.

In addition to the monetary prize, TEP will receive media coverage and public service announcements from Trib Total Media.

TEP is a gift-in-kind surplus redistribution organization with a large donation center. It literally puts tons of reusable materials — surplus products, office supplies and company spoilage that is still usable — into the hands of students and teachers who badly need them. It also keeps the items from ending up in landfills.

The organization distributes over $9 million worth of free supplies and resources annually to more than 63,000 students in Pennsylvania.

The Champions in Action funding will support TEP’s goal of becoming the first Pittsburgh nonprofit to earn the International Standard for Environmental Sustainability certification, an environmental management system standard to minimize a company’s negative environmental impact.

“The $35,000 is going to help us get this certification,” said Josh Whiteside, executive director of The Education Partnership. “It’s a symbolic award in terms of being able to go out and pursue millions of dollars of other product resources and other financial resources from those organizations that believe in environmental sustainability and also believe in education. I think that’s the real home run.”

For more than 20 years, Citizens bank and Trib Total Media have recognized Champions in Action who are dedicated to having a positive impact on area communities.

“The Education Partnership follows the core values of education, equity, collaboration and environmental sustainability to provide support and services to children and families across Southwestern Pennsylvania,” said Jennifer Bertetto, Trib Total Media president and CEO. “They are truly a champion as they work to achieve the societal goal of building stronger and more resilient communities.”

Citizens market president and head of sales Mark Rendulic said it’s important to him to create visibility for organizations such as The Education Partnership.

“They’re playing a really critical role in getting resources to schools and students in particular, and they take massive amounts of these supplies that, for whatever reason, can’t be sold and companies are throwing out. And they’re stopping all that from going to the landfill — and getting it to the schools — so it’s a one-two punch,” Rendulic said.

Whiteside said, for TEP, it’s about making the most of available resources to maximize educational opportunities as well as being stewards for sustainability.

“There’s so much excess and waste in our community that needs an outlet for a best purpose, and in today’s society that outlet for a best purpose is under-resourced schools,” Whiteside said. “It’s the number one asset we have as a region — our students — and right now they’re hurting in a lot of school districts. We’re serving over 60,000 students in Southwestern Pennsylvania, and those students are not showing up every day with the things required for a fruitful, equitable, awesome education.”