Aptia expands back-to-school bookbag drive with NFL players

Aptia said Aug. 13, 2026 that it partnered with three pro football players and one college standout to distribute more than 300 back-to-school bookbags to students in four U.S. communities. The effort extends Aptia Serves, the company’s employee-led volunteer initiative, and ties its Orlando staff to local youth support work nationwide.

Why it matters: - Aptia is using its employee volunteer program to connect corporate giving with local youth needs across the country. - The bookbag drive puts school supplies directly into the hands of students ahead of the school year. - The effort also pairs Aptia employees with well-known athletes and their foundations, which can widen community reach.

What happened: - Aptia said Aug. 13, 2026 that it continued its Aptia Serves initiative with a back-to-school bookbag drive. - The company partnered with three professional football players and one college standout. - The drive delivered more than 300 bookbags filled with school supplies to students in four U.S. communities. - Aptia employees in the Orlando office procured and assembled 350 bookbags provided by Shad’s Advertising. - The bags were then shipped to each player’s designated community for distribution.

The details: - DJ Reader distributed bags in Greensboro, N.C., through A Son Never Forgets Foundation. - Reader’s foundation focuses on health, wellness and educational support in underserved communities. - Kayvon Thibodeaux distributed bags through Jream Foundation to members of his high school football team. - Those players then delivered the bags to local elementary school students. - DeAndre Hopkins and his mother, Sabrina Greenlee, distributed bags to students in Clemson, S.C., through S.M.O.O.O.T.H. Inc. - Omarion Miller returned to Vivian, La., to deliver bags to a local nonprofit in his hometown. - Kerry Donoghue, chief operating officer of Aptia Group US, said the effort reflects Aptia Serves’ focus on showing up for communities where people live, work and grow. - Donoghue said the Orlando team packed the bags knowing they would reach students in communities important to the athletes involved.

Between the lines: - Aptia is building a recurring service platform, not a one-off donation campaign. - The company is leaning on athlete-led foundations to localize the impact and create a clearer community link. - The emphasis on employee-driven volunteerism suggests Aptia wants its philanthropy to be visible inside the company as well as outside it.

What's next: - Aptia said Aptia Serves will continue supporting communities through hands-on volunteerism, charitable partnerships and employee-driven efforts. - The company pointed to earlier projects, including sensory kits for children with autism with the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation, a garden beautification project with United Way of Central Iowa, 400 Ruck Ready Relief Kits with the Green Beret Foundation and support for the Boston Children’s Hospital Corporate Cup. - Aptia said it will keep advancing its community work across the U.S. through the initiative.

The bottom line: - Aptia is turning philanthropy into an ongoing employee program, with this back-to-school drive serving as its latest example.