Back to School

Made Brighter by Yardi

By Erica Rascón on Aug 14, 2017 in Giving, People

Back-to-school season can be a stressful time. New schedules, new responsibilities, and seemingly endless errands can be overwhelming for families. For some, obtaining school supplies is a major stressor. Yardi Atlanta made back-to-school preparations a bit brighter for several local families.

Yardi Atlanta adopted Mimosa Elementary School, a Title 1 school with about 800 students. The school lies within an Economic Opportunity Zone, an area where many families have lower incomes. Nearly 95 percent of students at the school qualify for free or reduced lunch rates, meaning that their parents’ income falls below the poverty line.

The Atlanta team leads several projects to assist the school and its hardworking families. Heather Humrich, Administrative Assistant, G&A, works closely with school counselor Flynn Pustilnik. Together, they find ways to get essential resources to the kids who need them most.

“I love being a school counselor,” says Pustilnik. “I enjoy helping students resolve problems that may arise and overcome barriers to learning so that they can achieve academic success.”

In early August, the Atlanta team completed a School Supply Drive. Yardi employees purchased brand new school supplies and left their donations in decorative boxes throughout the office. Some employees bought paper, pencils, markers, backpacks, and similar supplies for the elementary school students. Their donations filled three large boxes.

Other employees donated money for the purchase of school materials, totaling $147. Those funds contributed to four over-stuffed backpacks full of school necessities for students.

Pustilnik estimates that Yardi’s donation will serve about 100 students. “The donated goods help our students start the year school prepared and ready for learning.  They can focus more on academics knowing that their basic needs have been met and that they have the materials that they will need to be successful in the classroom,” she says.

Parents have expressed relief and gratitude for the contributions. “Many of our students would get their school supplies from North Fulton Charities so now they can skip that step and get them on the first day of school,” Pustilnik told Humrich. “That alone removes some worry from a parent’s heart about how to get their kid what they need to be successful.”

The relationship between Yardi and Mimosa Elementary School will continue throughout the year to ensure that kids and their families can focus on education and its benefits.

“It’s an ongoing relationship,” says Humrich. “We did a clothing drive for them back in May and I am working with their counselor and principal to organize a service project for us to enhance and improve their campus.”

Yardi is proud to support the communities in which we live and work. To learn more about how Yardi is Energized for Good, visit our giving page.