The Texas Retired Teachers Foundation (TRTF) is changing lives every day! November has been designated as Foundation Month, a time to honor and support the Texas Retired Teacher Association’s (TRTA) charitable giving partner.
TRTF was founded in 1988 to raise funds to build the permanent home of TRTA in downtown Austin, Texas. The organization began offering grants to classroom teachers and scholarships to future educators in 2000.
Since that time, TRTF has given out more than $200,000 to educators of the past, present and future!
“A Helping Hand”
$80,000 has contributed to the “A Helping Hand” program for retirees experiencing critical emergencies. Because of the generosity of TRTA’s members and friends, the Foundation has been able to assist 81 individuals with a variety of needs, including funds for home repairs, dental work, eyeglasses, medical alert services, property taxes and more!
TRTF also provided $41,000 in relief funds to retired and active educators in West, Texas after the fertilizer plant explosion in April 2013.
Recently, TRTF has received several applications for members who experienced damage to their homes as a result of the Memorial Day floods. TRTF accepts applications for assistance year-round. If you or someone you know needs a helping hand, please contact us at help@trtf.org or 1.800.880.1650. All applications are kept confidential.
Classroom Assistance Grants
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Randy Mayer (left) with Principal Sylvia Villejo (right) receiving a $500 classroom assistance grant.
To date, TRTF has awarded more than $41,000 in classroom assistance grants to schoolteachers in Texas for various projects and learning initiatives.
Those projects include an aquaponics greenhouse being developed by Buda ISD teacher Randy Mayer and his students at the Impact Center. His $500 from TRTF was matched by the school district, allowing him to purchase much-needed tools such as shovels, seeds and a wheelbarrow.
You’ll be able to watch a video later this month featuring Mr. Mayer and his students building the greenhouse and working in their school garden.
Student Scholarships
Kelsey Faykus discuss her passion for teaching in an upcoming TRTF video.
Since 2008, the Foundation has given $45,000 in scholarships to students pursuing degrees in education. This includes Ms. Kelsey Faykus, a student attending Southwestern University in Georgetown. While she majors in education, she also plays on the school basketball team. She credits Jimmy Michna, an at-large member of TRTA, with inspiring her to pursue a teaching career.
TRTF had the opportunity to visit with Kelsey on campus earlier this year and conduct a video interview with her. Stay tuned to the Línea interior later this month to watch this inspiring video as well as many others!
You can read more about TRTF’s 2015 Classroom Assistance Grant and Student Scholarship recipients haciendo clic aquí.
The Legacy Campaign
The Legacy Campaign promotes a positive image of public education in Texas and supports the Texas Teacher of the Year program. TRTF’s Legacy Campaign videos are moving and educational. Learn more about the organization by watching these videos.
This program also serves as a way to develop educational resources that explain the significance of the defined benefit pension plan and the importance of maintaining the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) for all current and future Texas public education retirees.
La voz is Arriving Soon! Please Consider Donating Today!
Soon, you will be receiving the third quarter issue of La voz in your mailbox! Included in La voz is the Foundation’s Annual Appeal letter asking for donations to support its programs for 2016.
You can get a sneak peek of La voz haciendo clic aquí! Expect your issue to arrive in the mail in late October.
Please consider making a donation to help TRTF reach its fundraising goal of $100,000.
La voz is saving TRTF’s annual appeal campaign several thousand dollars in printing and postage costs. These funds are instead going towards TRTF’s valuable programs.
To donate to TRTF online, por favor visite este enlace. You can also donate over the phone by calling 1.800.880.1650.
Please also stay tuned to the Línea interior throughout October and November as we continue to promote TRTF’s initiatives. We will feature several videos of and articles about recipients of the Foundation’s charitable programs.
Gracias
Thank you for being a member of TRTA and a supporter of TRTF. Your generosity truly makes a difference in the lives of educators of the past, present and future. Together, we are changing lives every day!
Be sure to stay tuned to our other digital mediums to keep informed on all the latest news and updates. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
