Crayons, pencils and books!
Dunwoody cosmetic dentist Hugh Flax has a passion for education, and when he read about the struggle teachers are having due to COVID-19, he wanted to help. Fellow dentists Steve Gorman of Minneapolis, Rod Gore of Scottsdale, Arizona and Todd Goldstein of New York were of a similar mind.
They devised a contest via social media and asked teachers to tell them why they needed an extra $500. “Each of us selected a teacher so we could hopefully help give kids a new dream for themselves,” says Flax. “We opened the envelopes with the names of the winners online as if we were on an awards show. We’re hoping to start a movement and inspire others to do the same.”
Flax chose Rachel Helling, a kindergarten teacher at Glengarry Elementary School in Nashville where students have language and economic barriers. “While working virtually, I wondered how I would be able to buy the individual supplies dictated by the district for my 25 students with just the $200 allocation,” says Helling.
With a portion of the donation, Helling bought chair covers with multiple pockets. When the students returned to the classroom in October, they found them loaded with supplies selected by Flax. “They were absolutely thrilled,” she says. “Many had never owned crayons, pencils or books.”
For more information, visit flaxdental.com.
