In a recent partnership project with United Way, Raymond James volunteers assembled school supplies kits for students and teachers at Downtown Elementary

In a recent partnership project with United Way, Raymond James volunteers assembled school supplies kits for students and teachers at Downtown Elementary.

Crippled by budget cuts and a lack of funding, some Shelby County schools are facing shortages of school supplies. Teaching can be a challenge if teachers don’t have the needed materials, or have to spend from their own pockets to purchase school supplies for children. Thankfully, employees from Raymond James working with a United Way volunteer engagement project stepped in to make a difference on Wednesday, August 27, 2014!

Raymond James employees, United Way staff and Loaned Executives delivered teaching kits to Downtown Elementary, tucked away on Fourth Street in downtown Memphis. The kits included pencils, pens, erasers, rulers, calculators, sticky notes and other materials essential for classroom learning.

For Yolanda Martin, principal of Downtown Elementary, it showed how much Raymond James employees care for our community. Working in collaboration with United Way, Raymond James employees assembled the kits in their own workplace lobby and arranged for delivery a few days later.

“This is a time whereby teachers are under a great deal of stress and have lots accountability,” Mrs. Martin said.  “Your generous donation served as a way to show that our community partners really care and these much needed supplies will help offset some of the costs that they sometimes have to pay out of pocket to meet the needs of the students.”

Charlie Maxwell, director of financial reporting in Fixed Income at Raymond James and United Way General Campaign Chairman is leading the campaign which impacts education, financial stability and health across the Mid-South this year.

“We’re pleased to continue to partner with the United Way Mid-South during our firm’s ‘Raymond James Cares Month’ volunteer program to help make teachers’ lives a little easier,” said Raymond James President John Carson. “Through the United Way and the charitable spirit of our associates, we are able to make a difference in Memphis.”

Raymond James has remained a leader in charitable giving and community support for 51 years. In addition to being a top corporate sponsor of the United Way, the firm is committed to improving our communities in the areas of health and social services, education and the arts.

School supplies seen here were given to every teacher at Downtown Elementary.

Every teacher at Downtown Elementary received a packet of school supplies as part of the Raymond James / United Way project.