BRUNSWICK
The Brunswick Community Education Foundation announced last week that it has received a major contribution from Barry and Karen Mills. Totaling $40,000, the gift will be spread out over three years.
The funds will provide critical support to the BCEF as the organization builds upon the remarkable success of its first year of grant funding.
Barry Mills recently retired after 14 years as the president of Bowdoin College. Karen Mills served on the national level as a business leader, a member of President Obama’s Cabinet and a policy adviser. Their three children are graduates of Brunswick High School.
According to the foundation, Barry Mills described his children’s experiences in the town’s schools as “phenomenal.”
“Maintaining the quality of those schools going forward is vitally important to the success of this community over the long term,” Mills was quoted in a news release from the foundation, where he called upon members of our community to “celebrate those great teachers, to let them know they are valued and supported as they seek to do their incredible, even lifechanging, work in the classroom.”
In presenting their gift to the BCEF, Barry and Karen Mills praised the achievements made possible by the organization’s grants, and encouraged others in the community to do what they can to enhance educational opportunities for all of Brunswick’s students.
“The members of the BCEF Board are grateful to President and Mrs. Mills for their exceptional leadership and generosity,” BCEF President Melissa Fochesato said. “We look forward to witnessing the powerful effect that their donation will have in Brunswick’s schools as these funds are put to use in the coming months.”
Founded in 2014, the BCEF is an independent non-profit organization committed to supporting students in Brunswick’s public schools. It raises and distributes funds for initiatives and enrichment activities. It awards grants to foster innovation and creativity in Brunswick’s classrooms, and to enhance educational excellence in the community.
In its first grant-funding cycle, BCEF awarded more than $35,000 in grants. The organization is currently engaged in its 2015 Fall Fundraising Campaign. As a 501(c)(3) organization, all contributions to the BCEF are fully tax-deductible. Further information about the organization can be found at BrunswickCEF.org.
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