Verizon hands out $3 million worth of free backpacks to students in Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS — $3 million worth of free backpacks flooded the city on Sunday with the help of Indianapolis-area Verizon Wireless stores.

This year marked 12 years of the annual School Rocks Backpack Giveaway event aimed at alleviating some of the financial burden associated with the back-to-school season for parents.

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Verizon Wireless says it’s about letting the community know that they care and are here to assist as needed.

“Verizon remembers that the community is the entity that got us to where we are, so of course we want to help them as much as possible,” Murphy, a sales associate at the Emerson Verizon Wireless store, said.

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A little more than 30 Verizon stores participated in the back-to-school giveaway.

Some stores handed out clear backpacks to meet school district’s requirements due to an increase in gun violence in the Indianapolis area.

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