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The Education Fund unveiled a pop-up school supply depot on Jan. 24, a move that expands the nonprofit’s reach to Miami-Dade County Public Schools teachers and their students in Homestead and surrounding South Dade communities of the nation’s third-largest public school district.
The pop-up, which is an extension of The Education Fund’s Ocean Bank Center for Educational Materials in Medley, ensures that teachers in southern Miami-Dade County have easy access to the classroom supplies that students need. Public school teachers can register online at EducationFund.org to visit the pop-up depot, located at Center for International Education, A Cambridge Associate School, 900 NE 23 Terr. in Homestead, on Wednesdays from 3 to 6 p.m.
“The Education Fund is constantly exploring innovative ways to support our students,” said Linda Lecht, president of The Education Fund, “By adopting the dynamic spirit of pop-up culture, we’ve created our unique twist – a free school supply pop-up in Homestead. This initiative allows teachers, especially those who can’t easily reach our main center, to conveniently access essential materials for enriching their students’ learning experiences.”
“The Kirk Foundation has supported the work of The Education Fund for decades because they deliver on their promises,” said Rosa Santiago, president of The Kirk Foundation. “We saw the need for additional resources in the area, as South Dade’s population has boomed.
“With The Education Fund’s new pop-up of the Ocean Bank Center, more teachers and their students in South Dade will have easier access to this needed resource,” Santiago added.
“We applaud The Education Fund for its continuing efforts to provide educational materials to all areas of Miami-Dade County,” said Jeanelle Boscan, senior vice president and head of Human Resources of Ocean Bank and a board member of The Education Fund. “Ocean Bank is proud of our affiliation with The Education Fund and the great contributions made by the Ocean Bank Center for Educational Materials.
The Education Fund established the Ocean Bank Center for Educational Materials in 1993, in the wake of Hurricane Andrew. The warehouse supported students and teachers by providing classroom resources for a community devastated by the Category 5 hurricane. It was the first school supply warehouse in the country and today remains the largest of its kind at 11,000 square feet. During the early years of COVID, The Education Fund widened its reach, adding nonprofits that provide afterschool programming to its roster of beneficiaries.
And, in 2021, The Education Fund further expanded the school supply pipeline in Miami-Dade opening a Satellite Store at MDCPS’ New Teachers Center. Today, with the support of Ocean Bank, The Kirk Foundation, Peacock Foundation, and other donors, The Education Fund’s Ocean Bank Center provides $3 million in supplies annually to help students succeed, with total distributions over 23+ million.
“We remain dedicated to serving the educators who invest tirelessly in shaping young minds,” Lecht said. “The Ocean Bank Center’s new South Dade pop-up stands as a symbol of that dedication, providing tools and resources necessary for academic success.”
The Education Fund’s school supply pop-up shares space at the District 9 Community Hub created by Miami-Dade County Public Schools Board member Luisa Santos. The hub features a parent resource center, supplies for homeless students, and office space where nonprofits can have office hours and work with students.
Visit educationfund.org to learn more.
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