MPS Moore Love Campaign Earns Over $378,700 for Local Nonprofits

MOORE, Okla. (March 28, 2023) — Moore Public Schools completed its annual fundraising effort for local nonprofits and its students, their families, employees, community members and business partners raised a combined total of $378,731.95. The nonprofits were selected as beneficiaries in July 2022 by Superintendent Leadership Academy students from Moore, Westmoore and Southmoore High School. The nonprofits will receive checks next month to help them sustain selected programs or develop new initiatives. The Bridges Moore concept will also be a step closer to becoming a reality for MPS.

This is the sixth year of the MPS Moore Love philanthropic initiative, focusing on engaging the MPS community to unite as one fundraising powerhouse to provide funding to local nonprofits that support MPS students and families. The set MPS fundraising month is February, but students begin their activities for their intra-district competition almost as soon as school starts in August.

The Moore Love 2023 beneficiaries are:

Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma (Moore Food & Resource Center): MPS has previously worked with RFBO to provide food in backpacks for approximately 700 MPS elementary students without enough food at home to sustain them over the weekend. Fortunately, our students and community have worked hard to fund the Backpack Program for the next two years. Therefore, funds will go to support the Food & Resource Center in Moore.

Bridges Moore: Bridges, Inc. is a non-profit organization that has the mission of empowering students to succeed who are in a family crisis or who live alone. Staff works to remove barriers to high school graduation, including help with food, clothing, shelter, and medical needs. Bridges support students with counseling in life skills and encourage them to finish high school with the support of mentors and resources. Currently, Bridges cares for shelter-insecure MPS students at their site in Norman, but this project brings the Bridges concept to a dedicated site in Moore for MPS. Our donation will be dedicated to MPS students being served by Bridges and will also be allocated to the startup costs when the Bridges Moore site is operational.  

Mary Abbott Children’s House: Abbott House provides services to children ages 3 to 18 years old from Cleveland, McClain, and Garvin Counties regarding many types of abuse and neglect, as well as being a witness to a crime or in a drug-endangered situation. In 2021, 723 children began their healing journey through the Abbott House. MACH works closely with law enforcement, the district attorney's office, child protective services, mental health care professionals, and medical professionals to maintain a child-friendly atmosphere during investigations of abuse.

The Sparrow Project: Based in Moore and founded by parents of MPS graduates, The Sparrow Project provides an opportunity for adults with disabilities to live a fulfilling life post-high school. Social events help MPS and other district graduates by involving them in community volunteer work and activities giving them a chance to continue to interact with their peers. A goal of TSP is to expand sessions to four days per week instead of twice. This group is completely funded by individuals and corporate donations.

Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children: The core of OBHC is to provide a safe and loving space for women and children who need a home, human services, and hope. The south Oklahoma City site provides services through Children’s Hope, providing single mothers who are 18 and older education on career and parental development, money management, relational needs, and more.  

Student leadership students heard hopeful recipients during Pitch Day in late summer and they made the selections before the school year started. These students drive the fundraising efforts for their schools and assist the junior high and elementary schools with fundraising ideas and encouragement.

MPS Superintendent Dr. Robert Romines said, “We set a goal this year that our collective student body just blew away. I am so proud of all our students and staff who worked so hard this year to make this funding happen. I’m also humbled by what our students, their families, employees, and our business and community stakeholders do to care for our own here in Moore. We truly have the best district in Oklahoma.”

MPS is the fourth largest public school district in Oklahoma with approximately 24,600 students throughout 35 school sites and 2,900 staff members. For information about MPS visit mooreschools.com or call 405-735-4200.