After retiring from ESD 112 on July 1, Ruby Atkins found another way to support local children and families.

Atkins, who worked as an ESD 112 school bus driver for 27 years, helped connect the agency with a donation of 100 backpacks and additional school supplies. Amazon and Falcon Logistics delivered the supplies on August 5 through Amazon’s annual back-to-school giving program.

Falcon Logistics delivers school supplies to ESD 112 campus

Falcon Logistics delivers school supplies to ESD 112 campus.

Valued at about $5,000, the donation will support students and families served by ESD 112’s therapeutic and early childhood education programs.

The opportunity started with Atkins’ daughter, Shannon Caseri, a manager at Falcon Logistics. When Caseri learned the company could participate in Amazon’s giving program, she and her mother talked about where the supplies were needed most. Atkins immediately thought of ESD 112.

“I knew ESD 112 would know where the need was greatest,” Atkins said. “It feels good to know we’ll be helping a student in need. A smile on a student’s face is worth it all.”

Shannon Caseri, a manager at Falcon Logistics, with her mother, Ruby Atkins, a former ESD 112 bus driver.

For Caseri, the donation was an opportunity to honor her mother’s service and carry her example forward.

“Giving back always feels good, but today was different,” Caseri said. “Donating school supplies to the same community where my mom dedicated 27 years as a bus driver filled my heart. My mother’s kindness has always inspired me, and I’m grateful to carry a small piece forward. I hope these gifts help brighten a child’s school year.”

Falcon Logistics serves communities throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington as an Amazon Delivery Service Partner. Founder and CEO Michael Saks said supporting education made the donation especially meaningful.

“Being able to support education is something special for our entire company,” Saks said. “We hope our donation can help many students succeed in and out of the classroom and fulfill their dreams in life.”

The donations were distributed among Florens, Curae, Quest, Gorge Academy, and families enrolled in our ECEAP program. These supplies will help ease back-to-school expenses and free up families’ resources for other essential needs.

“These donated backpacks and school supplies represent far more than pencils, paper and notebooks,” said Michael Nerland, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning. “They help students walk through the school doors with the confidence and sense of belonging that come from starting the year prepared and ready to learn. We are incredibly grateful to our community partners for helping make a positive difference in the lives of our students.”

For Atkins, the delivery offered another way to stay connected to the students and families she served for nearly three decades behind the wheel.