REXBURG, Idaho - Students need to be in good health and have season-appropriate clothing and a stock of school supplies to be ready to learn. When they're missing any of those basics, educators are often the first to notice.
That was the basis for creating the Idaho Education Association Children's Fund 15 years ago. The anniversary is being celebrated as almost $875,000 dollars has been granted to help kids in need.
Ken Sare, a teacher at Madison Middle School, Rexburg, also chairs the Children's Fund board.
"I'm reviewing the requests. This time of season, there'll be requests for winter items; there'll be requests for medical needs."
Sare says dental and vision care requests are frequent, mainly because those services are not easily accessible through state medical programs or charities. He gives kudos to the medical community's generosity, for helping to stretch the reach of the Children's Fund grants.
"We have found that providers of services are very reasonable with fee costs, and lower that element."
Educators voluntarily donate to the fund through payroll deductions and hold fundraisers throughout the year. Public contributions are welcome, too, and they are tax-deductible. Details are available at www.IdahoEA.org.
