Back-to-School Supply Sponsors and Donors...

S.T.A.R.S. mission is to initiate and coordinate community efforts to provide backpacks and basic school supplies to economically challenged students attending public schools in Orange County, Florida. We are grateful for those in our community who have stepped up to help.

If you donate at the Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum Level,
your name or company name will appear in our list of current DONORS.

....OUR 2012 DONORS...
PLATINUM SPONSORS
LEGOLAND Florida
St. Pauls Presbyterian Church in Ocoee

GOLD SPONSORS
The Bond Foundation
Mosaic Church
Walt Disney World Cast Members and VoluntEARS

SILVER SPONSORS
Children's Lighthouse Learning Center of Poeple of Faith
Harvest Bible Chapel of Orlando, Inc.
Hal & Linda McIntyre
Oakland Presbyterian Church
West Orange Chamber Leadership Alumni
The West Orange Committee of 101

BRONZE SPONSORS
Amy's Magic Keepers at Ryan's Hallmark-MetroWest
Best Cleaners
Bright Future Electric
Carley Corporation
Certified Financial Group
Citrus Elementary School PTA
City of Ocoee Employees
City of Winter Garden
Community Health Centers, Inc.
Creative Therapy Associates, LLP
David Wheeler
DRB Benefits Group
Dwight & Patty Sayer
Eagle's Nest Elementary PTA
Insperity
JRW Construction
Lake Apopka Natural Gas District
Manheim, Inc.
Manheim Orlando
Ocoee Elementary School PTA
Ocoee Lion'sClub
Ocoee Oaks United Methodist Church
Papa Murphy's Pizza
Palm Construction School, Inc.
Pinnacle/American Management Services Company
Publix Super Markets Charities Inc.
Spring Lake Elementary School PTO
St. Luke's United Methodist Women
Super Holiday Tours
Universal Orlando Foundation UGive--Megan Reish
West Orange Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours Attendees
Weset Orange Insurance Agency
West Orange Junior Service League
Windermere Pool Service, Inc.

...Special Thanks to...
General Growth Properties/West Oaks Mall
Alarie Deisgn Associates, Inc.
Derek Blakeslee
Randy June
Stoneybrook West Self-Storage
Blair Johnson, Esq.
Karen Shiers
Chick-fil-A of Ocoee and Winter Garden
JCPenney at West Oaks Mall
International Minute Press of Orlando
Mark Anthony, Bread of Life Fellowship, Inc.
Walt Disney World Community Relations Staff
Red Sky Media
Orange County Public Schools
West Orange Chamber of Commerce Staff
Stina D'Uva, President, West Orange Chamber of Commerce
Krista Carter
Darden Quilters
Cabin Fever Quilters
Circle the Wagon Quilters
Sue Taylor
Allisha Douglas
Phyl Schuster
Erline Phillips
Anne Marshall
Marge Johnstone
Joe and Kathy McCoy
Pat Locke
Lin McIntyre
Linda Kearns
Beth Otts & Crystal Riewarts
S.T.A.R.S. Board of Directors
S.T.A.R.S. Volunteers

Our 2012 Donation Stations....
S.T.A.R.S. Volunteer Center @ West Oaks Mall
Chick-fil-A Restaurants in Ocoee & Winter Garden Village
Great American Cookies at West Oaks Mall
Scissors Palace at West Oaks Mall
The Offices of Dr. William K. Fravel
St. Pauls Presbyterian Church in Ocoee
West Orange Chamber of Commerce

LEGOLAND Florida Partnered with S.T.A.R.S.
for our 2012 FundRaiser...

LEGOLAND Florida partnered with S.T.A.R.S. to offer discount priced COMBO TICKETS. It was a WIN - WIN - WIN - WIN ... Everyone who purchased tickets WON with over 6000 reduced price tickets sold!!! S.T.A.R.S. WON with funds to purchase backpacks & supplies!!! LEGOLAND Florida WON with more visitors to the new Water Park!!! and,...most importantly,.. . Local Children WON when they got new backpacks and school supplies to start the school year!!! A BIG THANKS!!!...to LEGOLAND Florida for providing this opportunity!!!

BrightHouse Networks partnered with S.T.A.R.S.
and other Local Sponsors to present 42Five in Concert in 2011...

S.T.A.R.S.partnered with BrightHouse Networks to present 42Five in Concert to benefit S.T.A.R.S. on September 24, 2011 at Olympia High School as Presenting Sponsor. Premier Sponsors are Island One Foundation, Health Central & Orlando Health. Media Sponsor is Orange Appeal magazine. Bright Future Electric is a Supporting Sponsor and The West Orange Chamber of Commerce is a Community Sponsor. Best Cleaners is a Ticket Sponsor and Fidelity Press will provide printing services. A special THANK YOU to every one for helping us provide Supplies To Assist ouR Students!!!

S.T.A.R.S. Named Recipient of GOBEA...
S.T.A.R.S. was presented with the Greater Orlando Business Ethics Award by Tilden Sowdon, President-Elect of the Central Florida Society of Financial Service Professionals. There were 33 nominees for the 2007 awards, in four categories--small, mid-size, large and nonprofit companies. Only two organizations were honored--A Gift For Teaching and S.T.A.R.S.--both in the nonprofit category.

The Central Florida Society of Financial Service Professionals, in cooperation with the Greater Orlando Chamber of Commerce, sponsors the Business Ethics Award program to honor companies that demonstrate a firm commitment to ethical practices in their everyday operations, philosophies and in response to crises and challenges.

OCPS P.I.E. Awards at SeaWorld...
Orange County Publlic Schools held "Our Priceless Treasures," their annual Recognition Event for Partenrs In Education (PIE), at SeaWorld on May 4, 2007. S.T.A.R.S. was nominated for an Outstanding Partner in Education Award by Orlo Vista Elementary School. They wrote: "S.T.A.R.S. of West Orange believes that 'everyone needs the right tools at work--especially our students.' Since 2002, the organization has organized community support for donations of school supplies for more than 30 schools. At the beginning of the school year, the S.T.A.R.S.' volunteers stuff backpacks with paper, pencils and pens. They then deliver enough of these vital tools to supply every student who enters Orlo Vista."

S.T.A.R.S. is able to provide for every student at Orlo Vista as a result of a partnership with St. Pauls Presbyterian Church in Ocoee. The congregation donates money to purchase the supplies, plans a packing day to put everything together and assists on the first day of school with distribution.

S.T.A.R.S. received a letter from Orange County Public Schools Community Resources stating, "Orange County Public Schools is proud to recognize your organization as an example of a partnership that is making a positive difference for education in Central Florida." The letter invited them to the awards ceremony at SeaWorld Adventure Park, Orlando on Friday, May 4, 2007. S.T.A.R.S. was nominated by Orlo Vista Elementary School for the 2006-2007 School Year.

S.T.A.R.S. is Recognized by Orange County Public Schools
In June, 2005, Orange County Public Schools presented a Certificate of Appreciation to Joe & Chesta Hembrooke and S.T.A.R.S. "...in recognition of your outstanding support of schools by supplying students with backpacks and school supplies." The photo to the right shows Lori Hager (Tildenville Elementary School), Dr. Jennifer Reeves (West Learning Community Superintendent), Chesta Hembrooke, Jim Martin (OCPS School Board Member), Dr. Patricia Ramsey-Baney (Principal, Whispering Oak Elementary School), Barbara Robertson (S.T.A.R.S. Secretary, Tildenville ES), Ronald Blocker (OCPS Superintendent of Schools) and Joe Hembrooke. Dr. Ramsey-Baney introduced the Hembrookes and the S.T.A.R.S. program. The certificate was presented by Mr. Martin.

S.T.A.R.S. featured on "Today's Family" TV Show
Chesta Hembrooke (center) is photographed on the set of the TV show  "Today's Family" with hosts Rita Christie and Ken Mikesell. The  show, which airs on TV52 and TV45 in Central Florida,, is about the challenges that  face our families today--our home families, our church families and  our community as a whole. "Today's Family" seeks to inform its  viewers on how to have better health and home life, better churches  and spiritual lives and better communities through increased social  awareness and involvement. The tie-in with the S.T.A.R.S. program  is a natural. S.T.A.R.S. provides backpacks and basic school  supplies so students are prepared to learn on the first day of  school and that creates better communities.

S.T.A.R.S. Moves into Year-Round Location!!! 

After six years of schlepping things from place to place, S.T.A.R.S. finally moved into a permanent "home" and held their Grand Opening on April 30, 2009!

You may know "space 106" at the West Oaks Mall better as the dollar store (which closed in January, 2009). Now S.T.A.R.S. has a place for meetings, accepting donations, sorting donated supplies, packing supplies and backpacks and much more!  We'll even be working on our nap-time blankets for Pre-K children in our new space!

So, please stop by and see what's new for S.T.A.R.S. at our new Volunteer Center. We are not open the same hours as the Mall, so please call for times and dates. Generally, we are open on Tuesdays from 10am till 4pm.

S.T.A.R.S. is an all-volunteer nonprofit organization whose mission is to serve as a clearinghouse to initiate and coordinate community efforts to provide backpacks and basic school supplies to economically challenged students attending public schools in Orange County.   In 2003 we started with 2037 students in 7 schools, ...in 2008 we offered supplies to 13,515 students in 46 schools. Our goal for August, 2009 was around 14,000 students attending 50 local public schools. Our final tally was 52 schools and 14,152 sets of supplies and backpacks!!! This August will, once again, find us working with 52+ schools.

We hope you can stop by for a few minutes to see what our community has been able to accomplish for our local children.

For information on S.T.A.R.S. of West Orange, Inc.
contact Chesta Hembrooke at 407-292-3559.

In the Press:

http://www.wotimes.com/articles/2004/06/29/community/ocoee/scissors.txt http://www.wotimes.com/articles/2004/06/29/news/business/business01.txt
http://www.southwestorlandobulletin.com/directorytext.asp?id=497 http://www.wotimes.com/articles/2004/05/05/news/business/business01.txt
http://www.wochamber.com/ematters_april04.pdf