Surprise Celebration for Orange County Public School Teachers in Honor of A Gift for Teaching’s 25th Anniversary, in partnership with Universal Orlando
SEPTEMBER 16, 2023 – A Gift for Teaching honored the beginning of its 25 years of public service in a truly remarkable way: a special celebration on the anniversary of the first day the Free Teacher Supply Store opened its doors.
In collaboration with Universal Orlando, 50 Orange County public school teachers were surprised with special gift boxes as a token of appreciation for their tireless efforts, deep passion, and unwavering commitment to nurture the young minds of local children.
A Gift for Teaching has been an essential pillar of support for public school educators in Central Florida for the past quarter century, providing free educational resources that empower teachers and inspire future leaders. The partnership with Universal Orlando Foundation added an extra layer of epicness to this occasion, as both organizations share a commitment to fostering the potential of students and educators alike.
On this special day, more than 200 teachers arrived to shop for free essential supplies and were surprised with delicious treats, special character meet-and-greets, and amazing giveaways including chances to win complimentary tickets to Universal Orlando Resort. In total, more than $191,200 worth of supplies were taken back to their classrooms and students – at absolutely no cost to them.
This celebration is made possible by a $100,000 grant awarded to A Gift for Teaching at Universal Orlando Foundation’s inaugural “Celebration of Giving” event. The grant will curate 25 class packs of supplies and surprises every month to gift to teachers from the highest-need Orange County public schools as they shop at A Gift for Teaching for the remaining 2023-2024 school year. Additionally, the grant revitalized A Gift for Teaching’s box truck with much-needed maintenance and a new look designed by Little Diversified Architectural Consulting to ensure reliable procurement and delivery of supplies for many more years to come.
Since 1998, A Gift for Teaching has placed more than $160 million worth of educational supplies directly into the hands of local students because of community generosity and invaluable partnerships.
To help continue empowering teachers and inspiring future leaders, consider joining our monthly giving community of Classroom Heroes. In honor of our 25th birthday, generous funders will be matching new recurring monthly donations for an entire year! With this exclusive opportunity, a commitment to a $25 recurring gift will now go even further and provide six classrooms access to essential supplies a year.
