November has been designated by the Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA) Board of Directors as a time to raise funds for and honor the charitable endeavors of our partner organization, the Texas Retired Teachers Foundation (TRTF).
TRTF just launched its annual appeal to raise funds for its four primary charitable programs and its endowment fund: “A Helping Hand,” Classroom Assistance Grants, Beginning Teacher Scholarships, the Disaster Relief Fund and the Lehr-Pritchard Endowment Fund. TRTF hopes to raise $100,000 in donations to support its programs to help educators of the past, present, and future!
Each year, the Texas Retired Teachers Foundation (TRTF) distributes thirty $500 classroom assistance grants to educators all across Texas. The grants are awarded to public school teachers who demonstrate commitment to the education of Texas children through the creation of programs, events, learning platforms, or other innovative classroom projects.
Since 2008, TRTF has provided more than $480,000 to educators of the past, present, and future, including $78,000 in grants to public school teachers.
We challenge our members to watch the video below and really see how donations are changing lives! You can also read more about all of TRTF’s charitable endeavors in the third quarter issue of La voz.
Please consider making your year-end, tax-deductible donation to TRTF this November. To donate online, please click here. To make a donation by phone, please call 1.800.880.1650 and ask for Sarah.
Bryan Teacher and Students Create “Texan Brews” Coffee Cart
One of this year’s classroom assistance grant recipients was Dena Favors, a middle school teacher in Bryan, Texas. She put her $500 towards starting a coffee delivery service for students in her SAILS class. SAILS stands for social academic independent living skills. The class is for scholars who have mild to moderate disabilities.
Favors’ students go door-to-door between classrooms delivering coffee to teachers. They charge $1 per cup of coffee, and each student is assigned a role. One student will knock on the door and greet the teacher. Another student will collect the money, and the other students help prepare the coffee, hand it over and check the teachers’ punch card. Teachers are ordering the coffee via a Google Form, and each Tuesday and Thursday, the students deliver the orders.
The students are working on basic living skills, according to Favors.
“Some of our students are learning to communicate. They have low verbal skills,” Favors said. “They’re getting to learn social skills.”
Since the program has started Favors has seen progression in those communication skills. One of her students has started to lift his head more when speaking. Others have become more confident in their ability to communicate with adults.
“I love watching them come in and asking about coffee cart,” Favors said. “That gives me joy to watch them grow.”
Favors was ecstatic when she found out that TRTF had selected her application for a grant.
“It was such a huge help. Without it, we wouldn’t have been able to start it. I’m really grateful that we were able to get the money,” Favors said.
Applications Now Available!
TRTF is now accepting applications for Classroom Assistance Grants and will award thirty $500 grants to public school teachers in Texas for the 2019-2020 school year. To download an application, please click here. Applications are due to the TRTF office no later than 5:00 p.m. on February 28, 2019.
