Dress for Success Palm Beaches hosted its sixth annual teacher appreciation event, offering educators new outfits, school supplies, and resources to prepare for the upcoming school year.

Supporting Local Educators

Caren Atis, a third-grade teacher, expressed her gratitude for the event, stating, ‘It’s kind of like you’re trying to look for an outfit on the first day. You know how you want to wow your students on the first day, so this is really great for us.’ Pre-K schoolteacher Shelda Pierre also attended the event and said, ‘It makes us feel special as a teacher. You know, usually we pour so much, and seeing this being poured back to us feels special.’

The nonprofit organization hosted the event at its new, larger facility, providing a personal shopping experience for educators. Joe Ann Fletcher, CEO of Dress for Success Palm Beaches, explained the motivation behind the event, stating, ‘Teachers are not paid well, so we want them to feel good about their first day back to school. So, we want to make sure that we give them that perfect outfit. We want to make sure they have school supplies. We know that teachers sometimes have to come out of their pockets to purchase the goods.’

In addition to new outfits, teachers met with local organizations offering resources and services, received school supplies, participated in raffles, and connected with local businesses. Organizers said they served about 300 teachers last year, and this year, 350 teachers have registered for the event.

Original reporting: WPBF (Treasure Coast / Hearst) — read the source article.