New education foundation seeks volunteers, funding
Nonprofit aims to supply schools with programs the budget can’t cover
BY JANE MEGGITT
Staff Writer

Allentown

UPPER FREEHOLD — A recently organized foundation hopes to enhance education through community partnerships.

During the Board of Education’s Feb. 15 meeting, James Derasmo, acting president of the new Upper Freehold Regional Education Foundation, provided the board with an update on the foundation’s progress thus far.

The foundation formed in late November as a nonprofit organization, Derasmo said, and filed applications with the state of New Jersey and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Derasmo said the foundation also opened a bank account and wrote bylaws, which were executed on Dec. 15.

The overall aim of the group, according to Derasmo, is to enhance the educational experience in the Upper Freehold Regional School District (UFRSD) through the identification and development of community partnerships and resources.

The foundation consists of five committees, according to Derasmo. They are the Executive, Nominating, Finance, Grants Allocation and Fundraising committees, he said.

Derasmo said the group conducted an election of officers on Nov. 30. Currently, Derasmo serves as president, Mary Beaumont serves as vice president, Scott Smith serves as treasurer, and Richard Messner serves as secretary. Other trustees include Tanya Cheff, Nick DeMauro, Eileen Heddy and Donna Huryn.

Ex-officio trustees of the foundation are acting UFRSD Superintendent Dr. Robert Smith and school board member Joseph Stampe.

Among the goals of the foundation, Derasmo said, are to actively seek donations — whether financial, material or in-kind — and to enhance education in district schools.

The foundation’s aim is to act as a conduit for the acceptance of funds, goods or services in support of initiatives not covered by the school district’s budget, according to Derasmo. The group will raise funds to generate grants for students, teachers and administrators, he said.

Derasmo said another goal of the education foundation is to provide information to community members about alternative resources and opportunities that could support the foundation.

Among the foundation’s accomplishments to date, according to Derasmo, are its participation in meetings sponsored by the Central New Jersey Education Foundations Partnership, and its networking with and learning from other educational foundations.

He said the foundation has worked with local newspapers to generate awareness of its efforts. He also said the group held a community-wide information session on July 12.

Derasmo said DeMauro will lead the foundation’s fundraising efforts, which include planning the foundation’s first gala event for sometime this year. The Nominating and Fundraising committees have met and are actively developing plans for the gala, he said.

The group’s public relations and marketing subcommittees were created to develop marketing materials and start spreading the word about the foundation, Derasmo said.

The foundation will also establish its own Web site, he said.

The organization’s next steps, according to Derasmo, involve developing a communication strategy, completing its mission statement and goals, designing a logo and tag line, and creating an information brochure.

The organization will also develop a survey to seek fundraising ideas, gauge overall interest, and identify additional trustees and volunteers, according to Derasmo.

He said the foundation will begin an additional trustees search, and seek broad community representation in the area including Millstone Township because Millstone’s students make up more than half the population of Allentown High School.

In addition, the foundation plans to work with school administration to identify faculty representation, he said.

According to Derasmo, the group is looking for people with experience in areas such as fundraising, public relations, event planning, grants allocation, finance, communication and nonprofit management.

For more information on the education foundation, contact Derasmo at (609) 234-0330 or derazz@optonline.

net.