LACEY – A new nonprofit organization was born in Lacey Township to be an alternative source of revenue for the students of the Lacey Township School District.
According to a release from the Lacey Education Foundation, it will be a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, built and operated by volunteers.
The LEF mission statement is as follows: “The Lacey Education Foundation was founded in 2018 to support educational excellence in the Lacey Township Public Schools. Serving as a bridge between our community and the schools, LEF encourages public and private philanthropy to enhance public education for students at all levels.”
It was founded in part by newly-elected Board of Education member Regina Discenza. Discenza had been on the board, stepped down for a year, and then won a three-year term starting in January. She currently acts as a trustee for the organization alongside four other individuals: Robert J. Paladino, Donna McAvoy, Domenick R. Biava, and Cyndi Sabatelli.
According to the Foundation, it has taken a lot of work over 11 months to gain approval and an official nonprofit status. While Discenza still currently acts as a trustee for the organization, she told Jersey Shore Online she plans to resign from the foundation when she officially takes her seat on the board come 2019.
“The Foundation’s endeavors are restricted to financial projects that further student achievement,” stated the release.
The Foundation’s first project is called “Technology for Digital Learning in the 21st Century,” which will help fund the purchase of new Chromebooks for the district’s students. Each Chromebook cart that holds 30 Chromebooks can cost the district approximately $6,000, according to trustee Donna Campo McAvoy.
For more information, to volunteer, or to donate, visit the LEF website at laceyeducationfoundation.org.
