Grant lets Plainfield school purchase new supplies

The Meemic Foundation, a nonprofit organization created by Meemic Insurance Co., partnered with Office Depot/Office Max to sponsor the Back-to-School Supplies grant opportunity.

These grants allow local educators to purchase new school supplies for the 2017-18 year, and Ira Jones Middle School was announced as a recipient.

Local educator Stephanie Manno from Ira Jones Middle School received a $1,100 grant donated by the Ackerman Agency.

Annually, teachers spend a good amount of their hard-earned money on educational supplies for their classrooms. According to a recent study conducted by Perry Research Professionals for the National School Supply and Equipment Association, public school teachers in the United States spend more than $1.6 billion out-of-pocket on school supplies and instructional materials. That equates to an average total of $945 on materials per teacher per year for their classrooms.

The Meemic Foundation has been offering financial assistance in the form of grants to schools and educators for more than 25 years.