Law firm takes part in school supplies drive

Employees of Kramer, Green, Zuckerman, Greene and Buchsbaum, P.A. of Hollywood collected about 15 boxes worth of school supplies for Broward Education Foundation’s Tools for Schools drive.

This was the first time that the boutique law firm participated in the annual school supplies drive, which helps students and teachers from the neediest schools in Broward County. When the firm learned about the drive, they knew is what something they wanted to get involved with now and in the future, said law firm partner Mitchell Green.

“It’s been historically the case that kids today don’t have the requested school supplies to start the school year, and a lot of times that puts them at a competitive disadvantage with more affluent classmates and creates stress at home and school and a lack of confidence,” said Green. [Having supplies] makes kids more likely to look forward to the school year, be better prepared and it creates a more positive outlook for them.”

The school supplies drive, which is the largest back to school supplies drive in Broward County, go to the teachers from Title

1 schools, who then go to the Tools for Schools Broward Store in Pompano Beach to shop free of charge, said Frank Mandley, chairman of Broward Education Foundation’s Tools for Schools Center Committee and also ChairElect for BEF’s Board of Directors.

“These supplies go to teachers of the neediest public schools in Broward. Education is our future and these children need a champion, and if we can help them if their families can’t, then that is an investment in our future. They are the future, and helping them will result in future benefits to the people who supply donations and our sponsors,” said Mandley.

Close to $1 million worth of school supplies were collected this year, and about 3,500 teachers went to the Tools for Schools Broward Store and shopped for $350 worth of materials, said Broward Education Foundation Board Chair Christina Fischer.

There are 185 Title 1 schools, and 205 schools that are eligible to shop for supplies,

she said.

“The need is so great and we even expanded it so now we have mobile units that go to their schools. Teachers can go back to the center if they need supplies during the year and have an online and mobile program,” said Fischer.

This year, 175 businesses participated in the school supply drive, and Fischer wants businesses to know that their efforts in collecting school supplies can potentially serve 185,000 students, which is “pretty significant,” she said.

Green said that his firm will certainly participate in the drive next year and that they will work even harder to try to collect more.

“I think we’ve seen, after Hurricane Irma, that we can all do a little bit to help, and the larger role we all play. We can’t rely on government alone. We have to be there for the community. If we’re not going to be, who will?”

For more information, call 754-321-2034.

“I think we’ve seen, after Hurricane Irma, that we can all do a little bit to help, and the larger role we all play.” — Mitchell Green, Kramer, Green, Zuckerman, Greene and Buchsbaum, P.A. partner