In another example of DataBank employees giving back to the community, employees from across the country recently came together for a backpack drive to help local students start the school year off right. This time, the effort centered on something every kid needs on day one: a backpack stocked with supplies. 

The effort came together in two rounds of generosity. First, DataBank employees, along with vendors and customers, donated funds to purchase backpacks and the supplies to fill them. Then, many of the same volunteers gathered at our Salt Lake City data center to stuff the backpacks before delivering them to a local elementary school. In total, contributors gave over $1,250 toward the project in addition to their time.  

Twenty-Seven Volunteers, One Classroom-Ready Delivery 

Twenty-seven DataBank employees pitched in to pack the backpacks, some of which were branded with the DataBank logo. Each one was filled with a water bottle, notebook, ruler, crayons, pocket folder, pencil pouch with pencils, eraser, pencil sharpener, glue stick, and kid scissors. The team also set aside extra water bottles, notebooks, erasers, pocket folders, pencils, and crayons for teachers, recognizing that classroom needs do not stop with students. 

The finished backpacks were delivered directly to Bluffdale Elementary, giving local kids and their teachers a boost heading into the school year. It is a small gesture with an outsized impact for families who could use the help. 

A Culture of Giving Back 

Backpacks are one more example of a commitment that shows up across DataBank markets throughout the year. A few recent examples: 

• Kindness Kits: Employees across Houston, Dallas, Salt Lake City, and Denver assembled and donated 852 care packages this spring for organizations serving women, children, and individuals in need. 

• DFW Metro Blood Drive: DataBankers, customers, and vendor partners came together at our DFW3 facility, with 21 donors giving blood and two giving double donations. 

• Letters to the Troops: Teams across eight data centers wrote and sent more than 500 letters of gratitude and encouragement to U.S. service members. 

• Culpeper career pathways: DataBank partnered with a local trade school to give electrical students hands-on exposure to data center careers, from classroom instruction to a live construction site visit. 

• Atlanta career exploration: DataBank’s Atlanta campus hosted local young people for a look at the diverse, high-paying career paths the data center industry offers. 

• Atlanta pollinator garden: When construction on our Atlanta campus turned up a rare, threatened wildflower, DataBank partnered with local environmental experts to protect it, sparking a stewardship effort that continues today. 

• Red Oak 3D printing: DataBank sponsored five 3D printers for the Red Oak Public Library, giving local students take-home access to hands-on STEM learning. 

 DataBank employees consistently look for ways to support the neighborhoods surrounding our data centers, and Salt Lake City’s backpack drive is a good example of that spirit in action. 

We are proud of every DataBank employee, vendor, and customer who contributed to this effort. We are especially proud of our Salt Lake City team, who stepped up a second time to pack and deliver the backpacks, making sure Bluffdale Elementary students and teachers started the year with what they needed. 

Want to learn more about how DataBank is investing in the communities where we operate? Visit our Community Relations page or explore DataBank Digest for more stories about our people, our partners, and the neighborhoods we’re proud to call home.