Since the first season of “Abbott Elementary,” a portion of the show’s marketing budget has gone towards initiatives supporting teachers and students in need. Ahead of its Season 3 premiere, the ABC sitcom is hitting the road to visit Title 1 schools across the country.
On Feb. 1, the “Lunch Break with Abbott Elementary National Tour” will kick off in New York City, featuring a giant, street-legal “Abbott Elementary”-themed lunch box vehicle that will make stops in 18 states. Teachers and staff in underserved school districts will receive “Abbott Elementary” tin lunch boxes including sandwiches, sides and beverages sourced from local businesses in each city as well as reusable “Abbott Elementary” tote bags filled with school and desk supplies. In total, the tour will distribute over 10,000 school supply items. The giant lunch box will also make surprise pop-ups at popular landmarks along the way for photo-ops with fans.
After beginning in New York, the tour will travel to Philadelphia on Feb. 2, Atlanta on Feb. 5, Dallas on Feb. 7 and Los Angeles on Feb. 14, making stops in several smaller cities along the way.
Previous charitable initiatives carried out on behalf of “Abbott Elementary” include a spring 2021 collaboration with Scholastic to set up free book fairs at underfunded schools, with a second round of book fairs kicking off that fall. When Season 2 premiered, Lakeshore Learning and New York & Company launched sweepstakes that offered teachers shopping sprees for school supplies and clothing, respectively. “Abbott Elementary” has also donated uniforms to Title 1 schools in partnership with French Toast, and partnered with with Lifetime Brands’ S’well to donate 10,000 reusable water bottles to students nationwide. DonorsChoose has also backed the series before, working with ABC affiliate stations to identify and provide funding to various local “teachers of the week” and setting up a donation matching program to fundraise for teacher-led projects.
Season 3 of “Abbott Elementary” premieres on Feb. 7.
