As the year draws near, we find ourselves looking to the future of the Missouri Retired Teachers Foundation. This year, the Foundation celebrated its 10th year as a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization. The Foundation has accomplished so much because of your generosity.

Since our inception, the Foundation has awarded fifty-six (56) $1,000 scholarships to students enrolled in teacher education programs and twenty-four (24) $500 classroom grants to help active teachers with classroom projects, with 14 more classroom grants totaling $7,000 to be awarded in December. Our donors have given more than $3,000 to the Joplin Schools through the Foundation to help with the Joplin tornado recovery efforts. We have purchased a building lot and built an office facility in Jefferson City. This facility is home to the Foundation as well as the offices of the Missouri Retired Teachers Association. With your generous donations, the debt on this building is now less than $143,000. Your response to the Foundation’s fundraising efforts has been phenomenal.

The purpose of this message is two-fold:

• Please consider making a year-end tax deductible donation to the Missouri Retired Teachers Foundation, and
• While we continue to focus fundraising efforts at paying off the building mortgage as priority, we are also looking to the future of the Foundation and its charitable efforts. Where do you see the future of the Foundation’s fundraising efforts and focus? Please take a few moments to give us your opinion by visiting us at www.mortf.org and email us at mrta@mrta.org.

Thank you for your past generosity and for all you have given to fellow educators. We look forward to your year-end tax deductible donation. Please make your checks payable to the Missouri Retired Teachers Foundation. I wish each and every one of you the very best as we end such a wonderful year and prepare for 2012.

Jane Fullerton, President

Missouri Retired Teachers Foundation