teacher visits to our free supplies warehouse
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Through the generosity of Ocean Bank and thousands of companies and organizations that have participated, all 22,000+ teachers from Miami-Dade County Public Schools are able to "shop" for free supplies for their classrooms.
This innovative partnership began in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew in 1993, when the school district was struggling to restore classrooms that had been destroyed or seriously damaged by the storm. The Education Fund approached Ocean Bank with an "out-of-the-box" idea - would the bank provide funds to create a big warehouse shopping center for teachers, featuring surplus inventory and discarded materials from the business community? By soliciting these materials and making them available for free to public school teachers, The Education Fund could help alleviate the shortage of school supplies. Ocean Bank said "yes," and the Ocean Bank Center for Educational Materials was born.
The Ocean Bank Center for Educational Materials has welcomed visitors from other counties and states looking to replicate this model, which has received numerous state and local awards.
Donating supplies to the Ocean Bank Center for Educational Materials is easy.
Click on the link to your right, or call The Education Fund at 305-892-5099, ext. 27 to discuss your company's donation and arrange for delivery or pickup.
Remember, companies and individuals that donate equipment to the Ocean Bank Center for Educational Materials may be eligible for up to a 200% tax deduction.
The impact on Miami-Dade students and benefits to the community are irrefutable:
Resources donated to the Ocean Bank Center since 1993: $5.6 million
South Florida companies that have donated goods: 669
Donations received: 1,486
Percentage of schools in the district that have benefited: 99.2 percent
Miami-Dade County Students who have benefited: 525,000-plus
Visits from Miami-Dade County School Teachers: 15,040
Click on the link to the right to learn more about the Ocean Bank Center for Educational Materials.
Made possible with support from:
