FORT MYERS, Fla. –Thanks to the generosity of the Southwest Floridacommunity,Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida (JA), in partnership with various community organizations, held a school supply drive and recently replenished supplies for morethan 700 young learners in need at several Southwest Florida schools. After Hurricane Ian hit the region late in September, many children and families were displaced and lost their personal possessions.
“We are fortunate to live in such a caring and generous community,” said Angela Fisher,president and CEO of Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida. “The smallest gestures canhave such a huge impact. Some of these families losteverything. Providing much neededsupplies allows these children to keep moving forward. It gives them one less thing to worryabout and helps them returntosome sense of normalcy as they focus on learning in school.”
JA accepted donations from Oct.until Dec.31, to help replenish supplies needed as SouthwestFlorida students and teachers impacted by Hurricane Ian returned to class. Donations ofsupplies were delivered to Tice Elementary School in Fort Myers, on Nov. 9; Golden Gate, Tice,Franklin Park,and Orange River Elementary Schools on Dec. 9; and Poinciana and Herbert Cambridge Elementary Schools on Dec. 16. An additional delivery is scheduled for earlyFebruary at Edison Park Elementary School. The supplies will reach a total of more than 700students in need.
JA is the world’s largest organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skillsthey need to own their economic success, plan for their future, and make smart academic andeconomic choices. Locally, JA has been impacting the region’s future workforce for over 28years. One of its newest and exciting programs, JA Inspire, aims to launch 10,000 8th gradestudents from Lee and Collier County middle schools on an interactive career exploration onApril 26-28, at FGCU’s Alico Arena. To help support Junior Achievement of Southwest Floridaand the future of local children, please visitwww.JASWFL.orgor call 239-225-2590.
About Junior Achievement USA®Junior Achievement is the world’s largest organization dedicated to giving young people theknowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their future, and makesmart academic and economic choices. JA programs are delivered by corporate and community volunteers, and provide relevant,hands-on experiences that give students from kindergartenthrough high school knowledge and skills in financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship. Today, JA reaches more than 2.5 million students per year in 104 marketsacross the United States, with an additional 5.2 million students served by operations in 100 other countries worldwide. Junior Achievement USA is a member of JA Worldwide. For moreinformation, visit www.ja.org.Locally,Junior Achievement of Southwest Floridapartnered with classroom business volunteersduring the 2021-2022 school year to provide nearly 135,000 hours of instruction to nearly14,800 students in 589 classes throughout Collier, Lee, and Charlotte counties. For moreinformation on Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida, visitwww.JASWFL.org, call (239) 225-2590 or emailinfo@jaswfl.org.
