SOMEF: Welcome to the South Orange=Maplewood Education Foundation

What's New?

Direct Grant Funding –Thank you to 6 generous families who gave $5041 in
January to bring our funding of 2010 Teacher Grants to $47,094 for 53
proposals! We've distributed $309,000 for 451 Teacher Grants in all 9 South Orange & Maplewood Schools since 2000.

SO/M Teachers: Apply now for the Michelle T. Riecke Teaching Fellowship for professional development in summer 2010.

May 23 will be "A Night on the Towns" celebrating our 20th anniversary with "Gotta Sing, Gotta Dance, Gotta Give," a star-studded show featuring local Broadway celebrities and Columbia High School talent, past, present and future. The show and an elegant dessert reception will raise funds for the restoration of the CHS auditorium. Tickets & information at: 973-378-2055 or info@somef.org

32 hosts will open their homes to more than 250 guests on Feb. 20 for the annual Night of 100 Dinners to take public education “above and beyond.”

The word is out: we'll soon become The ACHIEVE Foundation of South Orange & Maplewood. Same great programs, new identity for a new era. Watch for details.

Welcome to the South Orange-Maplewood
Education Foundation, soon to be known as
The ACHIEVE Foundation
Private funds for public education

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 over $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, Summer Administrator's Grants, District Partnership 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).