The Towne House residents will honor Holland Elementary teachers with lunch and $10,600 for school supplies

By Kymmi Amato | Jul 27, 2023

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WFFT) – Residents at The Towne House will hold its eighth luncheon to honor Holland Elementary teachers and present them with gift cards to buy classroom supplies.

The luncheon will be on Tuesday, August 8 from noon to 1:30 p.m. at The Towne House Retirement Community, 2209 St. Joe Center Road.

Residents contribute to the Holland Elementary Teachers Fund financially to help teachers buy supplies.

The Fund started as a tutoring program with a few students in 2009.

Holland is a Title I school, meaning more than half the students qualify for free or reduced lunches and textbook assistance.

Many students come to school without needed supplies and teachers sometimes spend their own money to help out.

More than 40 teachers, aides, and staff from Holland are expected for the luncheon.

After lunch, The Towne House residents will present a $304 gift card to each teacher for them to use to buy classroom supplies.

“This is completely a resident-driven initiative and illustrates the heart of our community,” said Doug Vogel, The Towne House chaplain.

This year, 63 residents donated $8,755, BHI Foundation donated $1,000, and United Art and Education contributed $875.

The BHI Foundation is a charitable foundation that provides grants for community projects that improve and enhance the quality of life for BHI communities’ residents.

Towne House is one of nine continuing-care retirement communities operated by the non-profit BHI Senior Living.