RISE Foundation Supports 100 Students Through 2026 Back-to-School Drive

GREAT BAY--RISE Foundation has completed the core phase of its 2026 Back-to-School Support Project, providing critical school assistance to students across St. Maarten while expanding its reach beyond its original target through additional donations and community partnerships.

The Foundation’s 2026 campaign focused on mobilizing support for 100 students, providing uniform vouchers, backpacks and shoe assistance to help families manage the financial demands associated with the new school year.

Working together with Marie Genevieve De Weever Primary School, Leonald Conner Primary School, Oranje School and Ruby Denise Labega Primary School, RISE Foundation provided 100 uniform vouchers valued at US$150 each, with 25 vouchers allocated to each partner school. The project also provided 76 backpacks through its core school allocation and shoe assistance for 62 students. An additional 11 students received uniform assistance beyond the original four-school allocation.

The Foundation explained that before launching its second annual Back-to-School campaign, it consulted educators to identify the areas where students required the most support. Uniforms, backpacks and school supplies, and shoes emerged as the top three priorities identified by schools.

Based on that feedback, RISE expanded the 2026 campaign to include shoe assistance for the first time, allowing families to receive support with purchasing quality black school shoes and reducing one of the additional expenses associated with returning to school.

Support Extends Beyond Initial Goal

While the project’s core allocation focused on four partner schools, RISE Foundation’s broader community support extended much further.

Through additional donations and in-kind contributions, the Foundation provided more than 60 additional backpacks, 200 drawstring bags, more than 200 pencil cases filled with school supplies, more than 200 reusable water bottles and other school essentials to students at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Primary School, Prins Willem Alexander School, A.C.E. Foundation and 721 Kids Foundation.

As a result, more than 300 additional students benefited from this broader layer of back-to-school support, allowing the campaign to reach considerably beyond its original four-school focus.

RISE Foundation worked closely with participating schools to determine where assistance was most needed. The Foundation noted that students receiving uniforms, backpacks and shoes were not always the same individuals, with some receiving support in multiple areas while others received only the assistance identified as most beneficial for their circumstances.

The Foundation said schools played an important role in guiding how available resources were distributed, as educators have direct knowledge of the needs of students and families.

Supporting Students Beyond Supplies

RISE Foundation said the impact of the initiative extended beyond the items distributed.

Throughout the campaign, the Foundation observed students’ excitement while receiving backpacks and school supplies, as well as parents’ relief knowing that some of their back-to-school expenses had been reduced. School staff also highlighted the positive effect that access to uniforms, shoes and supplies had on students’ confidence, preparedness and sense of belonging.

In addition to student support, RISE Foundation distributed nine boxes of teacher and classroom supplies. Each of the four core partner schools received two boxes, with an additional box provided to the 721 Kids Foundation, placing practical resources directly into classrooms for the new school year.

Campaign Continues Foundation’s Growing Community Impact

The 2026 Back-to-School Support Project builds on the Foundation’s first campaign in 2025. In its first year, RISE Foundation aimed to support 50 students and ultimately reached 60. For 2026, the Foundation doubled its original target to 100 students and expanded direct support beyond that goal.

RISE Foundation President Chiaira Bowers thanked the individuals, businesses and organizations that contributed financially, donated supplies, volunteered, supported collection drives or helped promote the initiative.

“On behalf of the RISE team, we want to say a heartfelt thank you to every individual, business and organization that donated, contributed in kind, volunteered, shared the campaign or helped spread the word,” said Bowers. “The only way we were able to reach our goal, and exceed it in a few areas, was because the community came through.”

Bowers said the support provided families with more than school supplies, describing it as encouragement at the start of a new academic year.

“For us, what that support means is that more children can walk into school feeling prepared, happy to be there and like they belong, while families can begin the school year with a little more relief,” she said. “The best way I can describe the support we received is that it felt like a big hug from the community to families who needed that extra support.”

RISE Foundation said persons interested in learning more about its projects or becoming involved can contact the Foundation via WhatsApp at +1 (721) 584-7473 or +1 (721) 523-8421, or connect through Facebook at risesxm and Instagram at @rise.sxm.

‍