Welcome to the South Orange-Maplewood
Education Foundation(SOMEF)
A proven partnership that works

The not-for-profit South Orange-Maplewood Education Foundation (SOMEF) is committed to raising meaningful funds to sustain excellence in education – excellence that the citizens of South Orange and Maplewood (NJ) count on for their children. With the support of the community and other partners, SOMEF has raised almost $1,000,000 for programs that keep the children and teachers of this district on the cutting edge of learning.

The organization’s core mission is to enhance the educational experience for all South Orange/Maplewood District students and staff. SOMEF supports initiatives that foster educational excellence through:

• Innovation In Education
• Educational Equity
• Exceptional Facilities

SOMEF's initiatives and fundraisers are championed by more than 1,500 donors, many of whom also volunteer their time to support our programs and events.

SOMEF's primary initiatives include Teacher Grants, the ACHIEVE Volunteer Tutor Program, the Michelle T. Riecke Teaching Fellowship, and improvements to the Columbia High School TV Arts Program and Auditorium. Learn more by reading topics in the About Us section.

Please note: SOMEF is an independent, 501 (c)(3) non profit organization. SOMEF funds are granted exclusively for use in the School District of South Orange and Maplewood (NJ).