CHEF distributes $10,000 worth of donated school supplies

Cape Henlopen Educational Foundation members delivered more than $10,000 worth of school supplies donated by individuals, businesses and organizations to all Cape schools Aug. 26.                                                                         

CHEF board member Ashley Reynolds said the goal of the supply drive is to ensure teachers’ supply closets are stocked with paper, notebooks, pencils and other items for students from low-income homes who may need them.

Sydney’s Restaurant and Lounge, Lefty’s Alley & Eats and Staples hosted donation drop-off boxes Aug. 1-22. Community members deposited binders, pocket folders, zip drives, composition books, colored pencils, crayons, glue sticks, scissors, earbuds, sanitizer, tissues and more.

Donors included the Lewes Senior Center, Lewes-Rehoboth Rotary Club, Tidewater Federal Credit Union, Cub Scout Pack 1, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, St. Edmond Catholic Church, Diego’s Hideaway, Johnson Orthodontics, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Delaware Order of Redmen and the Reserve at Pilottown homeowners association.

In addition to the $10,000 worth of supplies donated, Reynolds said 200 backpacks full of school supplies will be delivered to schools for students who are experiencing homelessness or who are from low-income homes so they have the supplies they need to get the school year started on the right foot.

Backpacks and supplies were donated by Schell Brothers, the Bellmoor Inn & Spa, Bethany Beach Hotel Suites and Hotel Bethany Beach.

CHEF is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that funds teacher grants for unbudgeted classroom projects, support for homeless and limited-income students, STEM initiatives, performing arts education and training, and programs to promote diversity and inclusion. For more information, go to chef-cape.org.