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Chance The Rapper Donates 30,000 Backpacks to Chicago Students

Aug 14, 2017 12:00:00 AM

by Mike "Orie" Mosley

Grammy Award-winning artist Chance The Rapper is once again helping students in need. The Chicago native has teamed up with STATE bags and his nonprofit, SocialWorks, to donate 30,000 free backpacks to local Chicago students. https://www.instagram.com/p/BX8t5hQlHrX Chance announced via Twitter that he would make the donations at the annual Bud Billiken Parade over the weekend. https://twitter.com/chancetherapper/status/895401741952397313 For every STATE bag purchased, STATE donates a backpack to a U.S. child in need. This back-to-school season, STATE is focusing all of its giving on Chicago. As stated on the company’s website:
The recent narrative surrounding [Chicago’s] inner cities is draped in negativity. Despite this, kids in these communities are showing remarkable resilience and blocking out the noise. We're looking to change the narrative.
This past Saturday, Chance not only appeared in the parade with STATE’s founders to give out the backpacks, but also held a surprise show for fans. https://twitter.com/Chicagoist/status/896707029385060352 STATE’s donations in Chicago aren’t done, as they’re also partnering with the Chicago White Sox for a bag giveaway, as well as teaming up with Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s office and Chicago Public Schools to donate more bags to kids on the first day of school. But STATE co-founder Scot Tatelman says Chance was an important partner:
When we looked to Chicago as the focal point of our 2017 back to school donation efforts, Chance the Rapper was the guy we first set our sites on. He is walking the walk and talking the talk in his commitment to supporting the community in which he grew up. Every day.

Chance’s Philanthropy

Earlier this year, Chance donated $1 million to Chicago Public Schools. His philanthropic work has raised awareness about the inequitable funding that many urban schools face, particularly in his hometown of Chicago. https://www.facebook.com/BetterConversationBetterEducation/videos/588526254679407/ A student of Chicago Public Schools himself, the rapper was once punished with a 10-day suspension while in high school, birthing his debut project, "10-Day." https://soundcloud.com/chancetherapper/sets/chance-the-rapper-10day
Photo courtesy of Chance The Rapper.

Mike "Orie" Mosley

Mike "Orie" Mosley was most recently a social media associate for Education Post. Orie also contributes to websites such as TheGrio.com, TheRoot.com and CurlyNikki.com where he focuses on writing editorial and news-style content highlighting positive African-American culture. He has also served as a social media manager for CurlyNikki.com. Orie is a graduate of Columbia College Chicago and holds a master of arts in higher education administration from Louisiana State University. Raised in St. Louis, he is a Cardinals fan and a lover of St. Louis-style pizza.

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