As budgets continue to shrink at the county level, many local businesses have stepped up their efforts to support schools in their surrounding area. One such partnership has flourished between Avalon Park business SOHO Office, formerly SOHO Hero, and Avalon Middle School. This month, SOHO Office is sponsoring their first annual school supply drive for the school.

Jennifer Housewright, owner of SOHO Office and Avalon Park resident, is an avid supporter of Avalon Middle School in addition to being a Partner in Education with them. “I wanted to take the opportunity to organize a school supply drive for the school as a way to give back to the students, teachers and faculty,” she says. “A quality education is so vital for these kids as they grow older, I wanted to do everything possible to give them the chance to succeed.” Housewright is hoping to entice the residents of Avalon Park and the surrounding neighborhoods by using her storefront as a drop-off point for school supplies throughout the month of October while offering a special discount for those who make a purchase while dropping off supplies.

“We’ll be offering a mystery percent off your total purchase when you bring in a donation of school supplies,” says Housewright. “Or, if you choose, you can have the dollar amount that you would’ve saved donated toward school supplies that SOHO Office will purchase and present to Avalon Middle School. The idea, she says, is to offer an incentive to purchase more supplies for the students. “Sometimes donating just isn’t enough, so the percentage off is a way to hopefully get even more residents and businesses on board with the cause,” she says.

All school supplies are welcome during the drive, which ends October 31, 2009. Some items of greatest need are: one to three inch ring notebooks, notebook paper, packs of pencils and colored pencils, non-electric pencil sharpeners, erasers, two pocket folders and white and colored copy paper.

“With the support of the community, we hope that Avalon Middle won’t have to worry about school supplies for a long, long time,” says Housewright.

To donate supplies or to learn more, call SOHO Office at 407.482.0662, visit them online by clicking here or stop by their store located at 3564 Avalon Park Blvd E. Suite 1, Orlando, FL 32828.

Article by Corey Gehrold