The Burlington Township Foundation aims to support the students in any way it can
If you’re a fan of Project Graduation, Falcon’s Operation Backpack or many more of the wonderful projects going on at the Burlington Township School District, you may want to thank the Burlington Township Foundation.
The Burlington Township Foundation is a New Jersey nonprofit corporation that helps raise funds to supplement education, special education, athletics and the arts.
“Our primary focus is to raise funds to help support the students of Burlington Township,” said Greg Komiskey, Burlington Township Foundation gaming treasurer.
The foundation is made up of volunteers from the community, namely parents of students in the school district. They work tirelessly on projects that benefit the district in many ways. The foundation’s mission is to foster excellence in education by helping fund educational programs, athletics, performing arts and special education programs to stimulate student academic achievement and enrich the students’ learning environment.
Since the school district has limited funding, the foundation is working to keep existing programs alive as well as adding new programs.
Prior to the foundation being formed about a decade ago, there were many separate groups trying to do what the foundation does today — support students. The forming of the foundation allowed the parents of football players, soccer players, band members and many other groups to come together in an organized way.
One of the projects the foundation supports is Falcon’s Operation Backpack, which provides backpacks and school supplies to students who are struggling to afford them.
“We look for support from the community, from businesses and from individuals to provide backpacks and other school supplies for those who might not have them,” Komiskey said.
The foundation also plans Project Graduation — a fun celebration for the graduating seniors to keep them away from alcohol and drugs on graduation night. The foundation hopes the event will help avoid tragedies that arise from drinking and driving. Students typically gather at The Funplex or Dave & Buster’s to celebrate their achievement in a safe environment.
To fund the event, the foundation puts on fundraisers such as “flocking.” For a small donation, members of the community can have a friend or neighbor’s yard covered in pink lawn flamingos. All proceeds will benefit Project Graduation.
Those interested in supporting the foundation have many ways to help out. When shopping on Amazon, you can use Amazon Smile and choose Burlington Township Foundation as your charity. A portion of your purchases will be donated to the foundation, and it won’t cost you any extra money.
The foundation is also holding its annual holiday craft show on Saturday, Nov. 19 at the Burlington Township Middle School gym and cafeteria. Crafters can register a table to sell their art to attendees, and members of the public can come to shop and participate in raffles. The foundation requests each crafter donate one item to be auctioned off in support of the foundation.
Additionally, the foundation is always looking for volunteers to help at events, especially with setting up and tearing down.
Komiskey says one of the best ways to support the foundation is just to spread the word. Sharing information about the foundation and its events can be a huge help.
