Our Story
Kalon Gutierrez and Luis Garcia met in New York City, working together for some of the most famous luxury brands. Though very excited about the products they created, they realized that their ultimate dream was to one day build their own company— one that had strong purpose and a clear social mission.

In 2010, Luis decided to take a career break and embark on a far-reaching adventure that carried him to the corners of the earth, including Tanzania, India, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, and Ecuador. He volunteered at many orphanages and schools, teaching kids and seeking to understand their everyday lives.

While passing out pencils to Tanzanian school children, Luis was reminded of an ancient proverb: "Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime." The saying played over and over in Luis' mind as he tried to figure out how to empower these kids to create their own futures. Suddenly, Luis had the answer. He realized that the children had fishing instructors (their school teachers) and fishing poles (their school), but they didn't have any bait … they lacked school supplies!

Four months later, Luis returned home to tell Kalon of his travels, and share what he had learned. The two agreed to partner together on a mission to equip children around the world with the supplies they need to empower themselves through education. On that day, Schoolbags for Kids was born with the pledge that for every schoolbag sold, one bag with school supplies will be given to a child in need.  One here. One there. ®