The Mesa Foundation for Educational Excellence recently hosted its annual fund-raising dinner and auction.
Attendees were treated to a Mardi Gras-inspired evening. The event was staged at The Wright House, transporting guests to the French Quarter. The event highlighted the nonprofit foundation’s important work improving educational opportunities for Mesa’s children.
“The foundation has been making a difference in students’ lives since 1986,” shared Gaye Kelley, foundation secretary. “We help teachers with innovative classroom projects, provide musical instruments to children who can’t afford them, and assist with basic student needs that range from vision and dental care to hearing aids and shoes.”
Helping all students succeed
The foundation also assists the district’s audiology department with hearing devices, as well as batteries and maintenance.
“Hearing devices change the lives of millions of people every day,” said Dr. Rachel Kruppa, audiologist at Mesa Public Schools. “However, most private insurance companies do not cover hearing aids. The $5,000 to $7,000 price tag can be a hardship for families. As children grow, so do their ears, which means ear molds need to be remade on a regularly scheduled basis.”
A package of batteries for hearing devices can range from $8 to $10. The cost easily adds up.
“Technology advances afford excellent hearing aids, which get smaller and smaller, making it easier for a child to lose them,” stated Nadine Miller, director of district health services and audiology. “We all remember losing a retainer and digging through the trash to find it. Just imagine a child losing a hearing device on a playground.”
For more information about the foundation’s work, visit mpsaz.org/foundation.