The Pepin Academies Foundation is launching fundraising campaigns to help students and teachers with school supplies. 
Don Orrico, director of development for Pepin Academies said, "We're running two concurrent programs, 'Adopt-a-Classroom' and 'Adopt-a-Student.'" 

The 'Adopt-a-Student' funds will provide students with a backpack filled with needed school supplies. 

"The goal we have at Pepin Academics is to make sure that every student reaches their full potential in the most supportive environment possible," Jeff Skrownek, executive director of Pepin Academies Hillsborough school explained. 

The 'Adopt-a-Classroom' donations will furnish materials for teachers to enhance academic learning for students. 

"It’s expensive to purchase school supplies," Orrico shared. "It's expensive to get the type of specific type of supplies that our teachers need to educate our students." 

This is the first year for the community school drive for students with learning disabilities. 

"This kind of campaign gives us the opportunity to level the playing field for each student, so they can feel comfortable in their environment, not worrying about who has what, and who doesn't and focus on the education that is at hand," explained Skrownek. 

Lea Lewis is a teacher for Pepin Academies and sees the need first hand. "We have a classroom-based business called ‘Tees by Teens,’ where we specialize in customizing spirit shirts," Lewis said. "This campaign will allow us to expand this classroom-based business."  

A call for community help to support teachers and students in need. Pepin Academies has classes for 3rd graders to 12 graders. 

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Pepin Academies Foundation announced it has hired Don Orrico as its director of development to lead the Foundation’s strategic partnership work, including expansion of its community and corporate outreach efforts.

Orrico will be responsible for building and managing a regional and nationwide fundraising network to support the growth and raise awareness of Pepin Academies, a specialized network of public independent not-for-profit charter schools for students with learning and learning-related disabilities in the Tampa Bay area. 

“With Don leading our team we will better equipped to tackle the needs and deliver the support for our students and the schools as they continue to expand and open new campuses,” said Natalie King, Chair of the Pepin Academies Foundation Board of Directors.

Prior to joining the Foundation, Orrico served as the Florida-based director of strategic partnerships at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. Prior, he served in a major gifts role, focused on the south Florida area, at the James Madison Institute. Orrico is a graduate of both the Atlas Network’s Think Tank Leadership Training and the Charles Koch Institute’s Liberty@Work program. He also served on the board of directors of the Catholic Education Awareness Fund and is now a fundraising advisor to the Latin Mass Society of Tampa Bay.

“I am incredibly excited to blend my passion for non-profit charter schools and improving the lives of those most in need in our local community. I believe this year has taught us that tight-knit communities caring for the most vulnerable are the ones best setup for long-term success.” said Orrico.

The Foundation’s reach across the community is already one to be admired; they have partnerships with organizations such as Publix, AdventHealth and Ferman Auto. With annual events such as their infamous Puttin’ for Pepin Golf Tournament that attracts high profile community leaders, the Foundation is able to invest directly into the academic success of the students.

“Pepin Academies has a tremendous track record of success providing a highly specialized form of education for students and helping launch the professional careers of graduates through the Transition Program which has helped foster numerous high-level partnerships in the Tampa Bay area.” continued Orrico. “I want to cultivate those partnerships but also go further in telling the Pepin Academies success story all over the country. As one of the only tuition free schools in the country exclusively focused on students with learning disabilities, Pepin Academies deserve to have their story told nationally and that will happen as we develop more partnerships outside the Tampa area.”

The growth of Pepin Academies Foundation and its established partnerships reflects a simultaneous growth for Pepin Academies, which is set to open its new Pasco County campus in New Port Richey this year and expand its Riverview campus with the purchase of an additional property adjacent to their campus. Pepin Academies also anticipates adding two new campuses in the next five years located in Wesley Chapel and Citrus Park.