(Pompano Beach, FL) – The Broward Education Foundation, which raises funds for Broward County Public Schools, has purchased a 7,087 square-foot building at 2300 W. Copans Road in Pompano Beach. Since 2010, that building has been home to the Broward Education Foundation’s Tools for Schools program, which provides more than $1.2 million in free school supplies annually to teachers in Broward County Public Schools that qualify for federal Title 1 assistance.
“In today’s economy, charities need to be more entrepreneurial. By purchasing the building, the Foundation now has an appreciating asset. It just made good business sense,” said Christina Fischer, Chair of the Broward Education Foundation Board, who brokered the transaction. “We constantly want to maximize the effectiveness of what our donations can accomplish. Achieving optimal outcomes for the students and teachers of Broward County is our first priority.”
Teachers visit Tools for Schools to shop for free school supplies for their classroom. Since the inception of Tools for Schools, the Foundation has supplied more than $10 million in school supplies to more than 98,000 students in Broward County Public Schools. According to a survey, 90 percent of teachers indicated that a lack of school supplies had affected academic performance and an overwhelming majority of 98 percent said there is a need for Tools for Schools.
“This is a great investment by the Foundation to make the Tools for Schools program a permanent service project for the teachers and students of the Broward County Public Schools,” said Tom Severino, president and CEO of the Broward Education Foundation. “Students can start and finish the school year with the essential tools needed to succeed in the classroom. When students have the tools they need to learn, good things happen. Improvement is seen in their behavior and in their attitude toward school and learning. That leads to a stronger sense of self-esteem.”
Tools for Schools has attracted the support of many important companies including 3M Company, Mary Kay Inc., Yoobi, Thirty-One Gifts, Dixon Ticonderoga, Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores, Office Depot Foundation, Scholastic Books, Staples, Starbucks and Colgate.
“This retail store is critical to our success in attracting local and national donors who want a community presence and a high marketing profile for their philanthropy,” adds Fischer. “There are many opportunities here for donors who want to make a positive impact on the lives of our students.”
Broward Education Foundation purchased the building from Copans 2011, LLC in Boca Raton for $827,800. Financing was through Bank of America.
About the Broward Education Foundation:
Established in 1983, the nonprofit Broward Education Foundation (BEF) aligns with Broward County Public Schools by providing support for innovative teaching to advance Pre K-12 achievement; critically needed educational materials for Title I school teachers and students, and scholarships for qualified high school seniors. Each year, the Foundation contributes more than $2 million to Broward County schools, serving as the catalyst for educational excellence.
For more information, call 754-321-2030, visit www.browardedfoundation.org, like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.
