FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – (October 2, 2023) Businesses, community leaders, partners, and the public joined forces and donated a record-breaking $376,169 in school supplies and funding so 13,978 students in Broward County Public Schools could kick off the school year ready for success.
Boasting Broward’s largest and longest-running annual School Supply Drive, Broward Education Foundation is the only 501(c)3 charitable organization solely dedicated to serving students and teachers in Broward County Public Schools.
“We are so thrilled by the community’s unwavering and generous support, which helped so many students start the school year off positively with the supplies they need to succeed,” said Shea Ciriago, CEO of Broward Education Foundation. “With more than 200,000 Broward students living in poverty, our annual School Supply Drive is vital in filling that gap for the nation’s sixth-largest school district.”
To help equip students with necessary tools to thrive during the 2023-24 school year, Broward Education Foundation received the generous support of its Adopt-A-School/Adopt-A-Class program from the Chris Hixon Foundation, UpChurch Management, Ultimate Kronos Group (UKG), Coke Florida and Gummakonda Reddy Foundation as well as Broward Health, Harmony Development Center, Centennial Bank, Harrah’s Casino, Seacoast Bank, Chen Moore and Associates and the Lion’s Club of Fort Lauderdale.
Office Depot’s nationwide Start Proud! program donated 1,000 backpacks filled with school supplies for elementary school students at two Broward County Public Schools, and Palmview Elementary School teachers even received a $20,000 shopping spree for their students and classrooms. One of the foundation’s newest partners, Jazwares, generously contributed over $160,000 worth of toys to schools across the entire district. Financial contributions of $10 or more were made through online donations and personal checks. Partnering with the Broward Sheriff’s Office and more than 80 other businesses and organizations of all sizes resulted in truckloads of school supplies to ensure Broward students are equipped for academic success.
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About Broward Education Foundation:
The nonprofit Broward Education Foundation aligns with Broward County Public Schools by providing grants for teachers who develop innovative curriculum that increases student outcomes; vitally needed school supplies for students and teachers in Title I schools; scholarships for qualified high school seniors; and support for programs and initiatives like Debate, TurnAround Arts, STEM and more. Each year, Broward Education Foundation contributes nearly $5 million to Broward County schools, serving as the catalyst for educational excellence.
In 2018, and responding to the Stoneman Douglas High School tragedy, Broward Education Foundation initiated a GoFundMe, established the official Stoneman Douglas Victims’ Fund and raised $10.5M for victims’ families, survivors and those impacted. Broward Education Foundation is proven agile, adept and responsive to shifting needs in education and our community. For more information visit Broward Education Foundation, email BEFInfo@browardschools.com, and like or follow us on Facebook , Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
