We see this mantra all over Portage, and we as a community, live this every day. But what does #PortageStrong mean? It means that we as a community are resilient, tough, and ready to make our city stronger and prouder every day.
As most of you know Portage Township Schools students are participating in virtual learning from home each day. The Portage EDC and the Portage Chamber want to help make parents feel more comfortable in their students' learning environment and with your help we can do our part. In Portage, the first 9 weeks of school are virtual with an unknown future. We need to help our students get back in school with a healthy learning environment, which in turn slows the spread of Covid-19 in our community. What does that mean in today’s Covid-19 world? It means a temperature check every morning before school, masks must be worn, and sanitizer must be used.
Portage EDC, Portage Chamber, and the business community of Portage and Northwest Indiana have great pride in our school systems and our students. We want to help our students succeed from Kindergarten through their senior year and beyond, but to do that in today’s world they need some help. As you know Portage EDC holds our 360 events twice a year, one being healthcare and the other being some form of manufacturing, union, labor, or other field of interest.
With the pandemic, we had to cancel these for 2020, but we want to continue helping our students all while helping our business community by ensuring our students are getting the best education they can. They are your employees of the future. This means we want them to be in the classroom with their teachers learning every day whenever possible.
That is where you and your business come in. Each of our 7,300 students need to get back in the classroom and just as your business has changed, so has their daily school routine. We are #PortageStrong, let’s show them how strong.
This initiative is going to take all of us working collectively for one goal. With your help and donation, approximately 7,300 Portage Students will receive a School Safety Pack. We recognize that our businesses have also been challenged, but any amount you can contribute will help us reach our goal of $50,000 to supply each student with the following:
● Identical, adjustable Masks with an Indian Head Logo - Total cost $17,600
● Breakaway Lanyard to hold mask - $12,100
● Sanitizer with carabiners (or equivalent) to hang on their backpack (They will have the ability to refill at the school) - $10,300
● Reusable thermometers will be placed in the school offices, for those students that don’t have access to one at home. The schools will monitor who takes one so we don’t overlap students or families - $10,000
How can you help?
● Choose one of the above donating the entire line item in total.
● Your donation of $2,000 could cover 833 masks, 1,429 sanitizers, or 833 lanyards
● Your donation of $5,000 could cover 2,083 masks, 3,571 sanitizers, or 2,439 lanyards
● Your donation of $10,000 could cover 4,167 masks, 7,142 sanitizers, or 4,878 lanyards
● Donation of your choice, any donation will help us reach our goal of $50,000
More importantly get our students, your future workforce, back into the school to learn face to face. You will also be helping your current workforce who may be struggling daily, with their student being at home.
***All checks and donations can be dropped off at Centier Bank or mailed to Portage EDC or Portage Chamber care of the Portage Strong Fund. Please make checks payable to Portage EDC and notate in the memo line: PortageStrong. All funds will be accounted for and used only for distribution to this goal. No administrative costs are associated and all funds will be distributed.
The current balance toward the goal is $6,000, $3,000 from Portage EDC and $3,000 from Portage Chamber, please help our students and show them what #PortageStrong means! Thank you for helping to show our students and community that we are truly “#PortageStrong”!
. ***All checks and donations can be dropped off at Centier Bank or mailed to Portage EDC or Portage Chamber care of the Portage Strong Fund. Please make checks payable to Portage EDC and notate in the memo line: PortageStrong. All funds will be accounted for and used only for distribution to this goal. No administrative costs are associated and all funds will be distributed.
The current balance toward the goal is $6,000, $3,000 from Portage EDC and $3,000 from Portage Chamber, please help our students and show them what #PortageStrong means!
Thank you for helping to show our students and community that we are truly “#PortageStrong”!
