Mercedes-Benz USA was named as Atlanta Public Schools’ (APS) 2021 Partner of The Year at its annual APyeS! Awards Reception and Ceremony that took place on Friday, November 12th. MBUSA was nominated following their long-standing commitment to APS, specifically the work they’ve done with partner schools Michael R. Hollis Innovation Academy and Leonora P. Miles Elementary School. As part of their partnership, MBUSA has supported families, teachers and students through funding for school supplies, learning support and teacher childcare grant contributions.

"Mercedes-Benz USA is ALWAYS there for Atlanta Public Schools! From being the signature sponsor of our Back-to-School Bash, to providing the funding that is allowing us to offer free child care for our teachers as they continue the work of educating our students during the pandemic, Mercedes-Benz USA has been a valuable and vital partner for our district,” said Dr. Lisa Herring, Superintendent of Atlanta Public Schools. “It is with sincere joy and gratitude that we congratulate Mercedes-Benz USA on being named the APyeS Award winner for District Partner of the Year, and we look forward to continuing our relationship for many years to come.”

MBUSA’s philanthropic efforts in the Atlanta community extend beyond their work with Hollis Innovation Academy and Miles Elementary School. The company has also partnered with Communities in Schools of Atlanta, a non-profit organization that works with schools serving at-risk youth, to provide onsite coordination of vital services including counselors, social workers as well as community health and wellness support staff. In response to the unprecedented circumstances brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, MBUSA helped to ensure the APS community was well-equipped for the school year -- donating more than $300,000 in COVID-19 support funds. Along with providing essential virtual learning resources and PPE, these donations helped to support families experiencing job loss, housing displacement, remote learning and education challenges. The culmination of these efforts, along with family and teacher give-back drives featuring Mercedes-Benz ambassadors, cultural and community-building activities go above and beyond the typical corporate sponsor relationship.

“We are so grateful to Atlanta Public Schools for acknowledging our partnership with this award, but more importantly, for the opportunity to work with the outstanding students, teachers and families in the Atlanta community,” said Kat Reynolds, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Mercedes-Benz USA. “As a company committed to empowering the next generation of leaders, we look forward to continuing our work to ensure all students have the necessary resources to achieve success.”

“The impact Mercedes-Benz has had on my child’s school has been very positive,” said Claudia Harley, parent of an Atlanta Public School student. “They’ve demonstrated that they are always there to help, and have proven to be a great support system for the community. That was highlighted for me during the holiday drive-up event last year. My kids really enjoyed it and we left with some great goodies.”

As the year comes to a close, MBUSA will continue the partnership with their second annual Winterfest on December 8th at both Miles Elementary and Hollis Innovation Academy. This end of year celebration will help students and their families prepare for the second half of the school year while kicking off the holiday break, providing essential items and services such as gift bags, car seat safety checkpoints, and a food bank for families to receive a free holiday ham.