OEA Foundation
Every day somewhere in Oregon, OEA members, teachers and support professionals working in Oregon's public school, encounter students who are in need.
These true stories are heartbreaking. A boy is waiting for the bus in the bitter cold without a warm coat. A girl is squinting in class because her family can't afford eyeglasses. A promising student is withdrawn because his broken hearing aid has never been replaced. A boy is wearing the same clothes he's worn for the last two weeks. A child is in need of a doctor visit but her family has no insurance.
These are the students who have slipped through the cracks of Oregon's social service programs. These are the children whose most basic needs aren't being met. The OEA Foundation was created to give educators the opportunity to help these students in need.
Established in 1995, the OEA Foundation provides educators with up to $100 grants to help students meet basic, urgent and immediate needs so they can succeed in school. Cash grants from the Foundation fill needs unmet by any other source. Unfortunately, and particularly in this economic climate, the need is ever-present and continues to grow in Oregon.
In 1996, the OEA Foundation awarded grants totaling $6,000, assisting 594 children identified by OEA members. In 2008, the OEA Foundation awarded grants of $122,171, assisting 1291 students. Since its creation, the Foundation has distributed over $900,000 to help needy Oregon public school students. Since the beginning, the key source for these critical funds has been OEA members and staff. The OEA family continues to be generous in their support through payroll deductions and cash donations. The Oregon Education Association funds all of the administrative costs of the Foundation, which allows all donations to be used to provide direct assistance to students.
Over the past 15 years, the OEA Foundation has purchased countless pairs of eyeglasses, repaired a broken wheelchair, provided many students with their first winter coat, paid for dental work and doctor visits, fitted new shoes on lots of feet, and even replaced a broken bedroom window. When all is said and done, the OEA Foundation works to ensure that the physical, social, and emotional needs of students do not stand in the way of success in school.
Who may access the grant process?
Any active OEA member who encounters a student in need can make a request for funds from the OEA Foundation.
The OEA Foundation is dedicated to meeting the most basic needs of public education students. Your tax-deductible donations will make a positive difference and allow us to continue to assist those who need help. Make your own tax-deductible contribution to the OEA Foundation today. Donations may also be made "In Honor Of" a colleague or "In Memory Of" a family member.
Thank you for supporting the OEA Foundation, to allow OEA members to help students succeed.