Northville Educational Foundation and Mothers’ Club Team Up For Thank-A-Staff Program

In a unique and exciting first-time partnership, two of Northville’s most dedicated fundraising groups are combining efforts to benefit the students of Northville Public Schools.

As part of Staff Appreciation Week, the Northville Educational Foundation (NEF) and Mothers’ Club of Northville, both independent charitable organizations that dedicate funds to the Northville Public School district, will provide parents and students the opportunity to thank their favorite staff members with a donation in their honor via the Thank-A-Staff program. Both organizations award teacher grants on an annual basis for academic and enriching programs within the Northville schools.

“The Northville Educational Foundation is delighted to be partnering with the Mother's Club on the annual Thank-A-Staff fundraising effort. This is a great alliance of two organizations that provide support to the Northville Public Schools. The Thank-A-Staff program allows parents, grandparents, and friends of the Northville Public Schools to make a donation in honor of a teacher or staff member,” said Eric Barritt, President of the Northville Educational Foundation.

The Foundation, in existence for eleven years has gained a tremendous amount of momentum in the past few years, sparked by an unprecedented $1 million pledge from an anonymous donor in April 2010. In recent months, NEF has received great support in raising funds for significant improvements to the Northville’s Eight Mile stadium via TURF CLUB, a group of community volunteers soliciting funds solely for this purpose. The Foundation is also funding the International Baccalaureate program which includes teacher training, materials and other associated fees.

The Mothers’ Club of Northville, now in its 77th year, is also deeply committed to providing Northville students with programs proven to enrich their education. Via teacher grants, Mothers’ Club awards over $30,000 annually in an effort to help close the gap caused by state funding reductions in recent years. Driven by 25 to 30 ambitious women and a reputation steeped in tradition, Mothers’ Club is excited about the opportunity to partner with another organization to raise funds.

Mothers’ Club President Suzie Johnson said, "The Mothers' Club of Northville and Northville Educational Foundation are deeply committed to raising funds for the Northville Public Schools. The Thank-A-Staff program is a wonderful opportunity for the two non-profits to join forces in recognizing our staff and raise funds to continue achieving education excellence in our schools."

The Thank-A-Staff program kicks off on Monday, May 7. Forms can be found on the Northville Public School website at www.northville.k12.mi.us and on the NEF website at www.Northville.Ed.Foundation.org. For further information on the Northville Educational Foundation, please contact Jennifer Pearson, Foundation Manager at 248-344-8458 or visit the website. For more information on the Mothers’ Club of Northville, please contact President Suzie Johnson at 248-380-3038.