TD Garden hosts initiative to help local students

More than 4,000 Boston-area children received school supplies in August, thanks to a “Backpack Stuff-a-Thon Challenge” that took place at Delaware North-owned-and-operated TD Garden, home to the NHL’s Boston Bruins and NBA’s Boston Celtics.

Garden Neighborhood Charities, the philanthropic arm of TD Garden, teamed up with the Salvation Army and the city of Boston to provide students in need with the essentials for a new school year.

Chief Executive Officer for Delaware North’s Boston Holdings Charlie Jacobs, TD Garden President Amy Latimer and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh were among the volunteers who completed a timed series of challenges designed to fill backpacks with supplies. The back-to-school celebration also focused on instilling the student attendees with confidence to complete a successful school year.

Since the Backpack Stuff-a-Thon’s inception three years ago, Garden Neighborhood Charities has donated almost $100,000 combined with the support provided by the Bruins Foundation and Massachusetts Sportservice.

Walsh even took to social media about the initiative.

“Stuffing 4,000 backpacks w/ @NHLBruins@SalvationArmyMA and @tdgarden giving kids the tools for going back to school,” Walsh said via Twitter.