Celebrities to Autograph and Design Office Depot Backpacks to be Donated to Pediatric Patients at City of Hope

Office Depot® (NYSE:ODP), a leading global provider of office products and services, and Sharpie®, one of the world’s most recognized brands of permanent markers, will be among the sponsors in the Backstage Creations Celebrity Gift Retreat at Teen Choice 2009, to be held at the Gibson Amphitheater in Universal City, Calif. on Aug. 9.

Hosted by the Jonas Brothers, Teen Choice 2009 celebrates the hottest teen icons in film, television, music, sports and fashion and airs on FOX at 8 pm EDT/PDT on Aug.10. Celebrity attendees at this year’s event have the opportunity to autograph and design Office Depot backpacks using markers provided by Sharpie, which will in turn be donated to City of Hope, a leading research, treatment and education center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases.

Celebrities who will potentially walk through the Backstage Creations Celebrity Gift Retreat this year include The Black Eyed Peas, Shawn Johnson and Vanessa Hudgens. Each celebrity will receive an Office Depot backpack and personalized set of Sharpie markers, in honor of Office Depot and Sharpie’s “My Project Backpack” design contest, a national contest where customers are invited to submit images of their Sharpie-designed backpacks for the chance to win $10,000 in prizes, including the opportunity to have their backpack design reproduced and sold in Office Depot stores nationwide during the 2010 back-to-school season.

“Office Depot has been a long time provider of back-to-school essentials, and we are excited to offer students this opportunity to get creative for back-to-school this year,” said Wade Eveleth, Senior Director of Merchandising for Office Depot. “More importantly, we hope students will be inspired to see their favorite celebrities designing a backpack for a good cause.”

“Sharpie is thrilled to be teaming up with Office Depot to support a great cause in City of Hope and showcase an exciting new contest at the Backstage Creations Retreat at Teen Choice 2009,” said Ed Cooper, Vice President of Sales for Newell Rubbermaid Office Products. “Whether you are an amateur designer or a professional artist, the opportunity to have your backpack design sold at Office Depot next back-to-school season is exciting.”

“We’re grateful for the support from Office Depot, Sharpie and Teen Choice 2009,” said Matt Dodd, Senior Director of Development, City of Hope.