Happy November! The Texas Retired Teachers Foundation (TRTF), the charitable partner organization of the Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA), is hosting its annual fundraising drive to support its various charitable programs. TRTF’s goal is to raise $100,000 by the end of 2019!
TRTF is a non-profit organization that works to provide resources for retired TRS annuitants, as well as active and beginning teachers, through its charitable programs (“A Helping Hand,” Classroom Assistance Grants, Beginning Teacher Scholarships, the Disaster Relief Fund) and our Lehr-Pritchard Endowment Fund.
Since 2008, the Foundation has given more than $540,000 to Texas public education retirees, active teachers, college students pursuing degrees in education, and first-year educators!
You can read more about TRTF’s accomplishments and the people who have been helped thanks to the generosity of TRTA members who have donated to the Foundation by reading the third quarter issue of La voz. A donation card will be included in this issue when it arrives in your mailboxes this month!
TRTF will also release several videos this month via the Línea interiorfeaturing recipients from each of our programs. We hope you will enjoy viewing these videos and hearing more about how your donations have changed the lives of Texas school children, teachers, and retirees experiencing critical emergencies.
TRTF knows that the needs of our educators in Texas continue to grow. Since 96 percent of school employees do not participate in Social Security, many retirees rely solely on their monthly annuities from TRS to survive. The current average annuity for Texas retired educators is $2,000 per month, with more than 130,000 retirees receiving less than $1,000 per month. Many retirees have never received a cost-of-living increase despite continually rising living expenses.
With your help, TRTF will continue to provide emergency financial assistance to retired educators and help them get back on their feet by assisting with medical or utility bills, home or auto repair, groceries, and much more. Your donation may also help provide a current teacher with supplies for a classroom project or help a new teacher afford to pay for certification tests or set up their first classroom.
Thank you for taking the time to read about the needs of TRTF and for considering a tax-deductible contribution to our Foundation. If every member of TRTA gave just $10, TRTF would raise an astounding $900,000! Please consider making your tax-deductible donation to TRTF online today haciendo clic aquí.
