Ashoka Youth Venture Program to Continue Building its Global Presence with Support from Staples Foundation for Learning

Business Wire, March 10, 2008

Ashoka Receives $500,000 Grant and Commitment to Encouraging Youth-Led Social Change

ARLINGTON, Va. -- Ashoka, a global non-profit organization with a 26-year history and network of more than 1,800 social entrepreneurs serving 70 countries, today announced it has received a $500,000 grant from Staples Foundation for Learning (SFFL), a private foundation created by Staples, Inc. (NASDAQ: SPLS). This grant will support Ashoka's Youth Venture program, which empowers youth around the world to act as positive agents for social change. Youth lead projects that increase their life, learning and leadership skills and motivate them to be highly engaged community members. Since 2006, Staples has provided Ashoka with $1 million in support of their worldwide efforts to invest in and catalyze a movement of young changemakers who increase the ability of a global society to solve problems and thrive.

In 2006, SFFL began its partnership with Ashoka with a $500,000 grant to launch Youth Venture in five countries where Staples operates, including France, Germany, Spain, Argentina and Brazil. In 2007, a $500,000 grant was given to expand the program to Belgium and Canada and continue developing the program in the original five countries. This year's grant will continue building the capacity, visibility and reach of the Youth Venture program throughout the world and support the second annual Ashoka/Staples' "That Was Easy" Youth Venture competition in the U.S. and Canada, a competition that recognizes Youth Venturers for their efforts to make life easier for others.

"The partnership between Ashoka and Staples Foundation for Learning is built on recognizing the value of entrepreneurship," said Bill Drayton, founder and chief executive officer of Ashoka. "Together, we encourage today's youth by providing them with the tools and support necessary to become social entrepreneurs who have the confidence and knowledge to change the world."

"Staples' global collaboration with Ashoka allows us to strengthen our support and commitment to getting youth around the world involved with and caring for their communities," said Ron Sargent, president of Staples Foundation for Learning and chairman and chief executive officer of Staples, Inc. "Together, we are helping young people realize the impact they can make on the world when they act as positive changemakers confronting important social issues."

Youth Venture encourages young people to start their own sustainable social ventures and connects them into a powerful global network. The vision of the program is that every young person can be a changemaker. Through Youth Venture, Ashoka and SFFL have seen energy and idealism in youth and the powerful change they can make when pursuing big challenges.

Founded in 1996 by Ashoka, the Youth Venture program invests in young social entrepreneurs and helps them start their ventures, many of which have led to social change around the globe. The program has already helped 2,000 teams of young people worldwide to launch their own social ventures and connect with a global network of like-minded young people with the objective of shaping a global culture of youth-led social change. The Venturers start businesses, civil society organizations and informal programs that address all types of social issues, including poverty, health, the elderly, the environment, education, diversity issues and the arts.

About Ashoka

Ashoka is a global association of leading social entrepreneurs - individuals with innovative and practical ideas for addressing social needs around the world. It has developed a network of more than 1,800 social entrepreneurs serving 70 countries. Ashoka's Youth Venture is a global movement of powerful young changemakers who are leading their own community-serving ventures while together fundamentally changing the youth years to a time of leadership, initiative and positive social change. For more information, please visit www.ashoka.org or www.youthventure.org .

About Staples Foundation for Learning

The mission of Staples Foundation for Learning, Inc. is to teach, train and inspire. Founded in 2002, the foundation has contributed nearly $12 million to national and local charities that provide educational opportunities and job skills for all people, with a special emphasis on disadvantaged youth. Staples Foundation for Learning has also developed lasting relationships with Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Earth Force, Hispanic Heritage Foundation and the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City. In addition, Staples Foundation for Learning supports Ashoka, an organization that develops and supports social entrepreneurs around the world, in eight countries: Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Spain and the United States. For more information about the foundation or how to apply for a grant, please visit www.staplesfoundation.org.