Fifteen area schools are a bit more flush with discretionary funds thanks to K&B True Value Hardware, Bay Ridge Wine & Spirits, Ledo Pizza & Pasta, and Soul. This afternoon, Jared Littmann, owner of K&B True Value Hardware presented checks totaling over $30,000 to 15 local schools. This money was raised by donation requests by their cashiers from late August through October until those donations reached $15,000. At that time, those donations were matched by K&B True Value, Bay Ridge Wine & Spirits, Ledo Pizza & Pasta Annapolis, and Soul restaurant. More specifically, customers were asked to which school they wanted to make a donation and in what amounts and the business donations matched those choices.
The program was started by Littmann in 2009, expanded to include Bay Ridge Wine & Spirits in 2020, and Ledo Pizza & Pasta and Soul joined forces in 2021. Below is a chart of this year’s donation (first column) and cumulative column since 2009 (second column) for each school in the area.
| Annapolis Elementary School | $2,268 | $7,158 |
| Annapolis High School | $3,606 | $10,200 |
| Annapolis Middle School | $2,160 | $7,515 |
| Bates Middle School | $1,622 | $3,838 |
| Eastport Elementary School | $2,387 | $7,863 |
| Georgetown East Elementary School | $1,625 | $5,154 |
| Germantown Elementary School | $1,396 | $2,456 |
| Hillsmere Elementary School | $3,278 | $11,720 |
| Key School | $1,200 | $4,048 |
| Monarch Academy | $1,285 | $2,047 |
| St. Anne’s School of Annapolis | $2,240 | $8,254 |
| St. Martin’s School | $2,744 | $13,642 |
| St. Mary’s Elementary | $1,573 | $4,803 |
| Tyler Heights Elementary School | $1,515 | $4,448 |
| West Annapolis Elementary School | $1,251 | $1,968 |
| Total | $30,151 | $95,113 |
An important part of this program is that the donated funds have no strings; the school can use the funds as they see fit. When asked how they would use the funds this year, schools replied:
- To fund after school events and enrichment programs for the school
- To fund sweatshirts for our students. Our old building has really inconsistent temperatures, so the warm clothing saves time and energy
- To fund books for our reading initiative
- To fund stipends so that our children can attend after-school clubs and also to purchase uniforms for students in need.
- To bring our school’s mission to life every day.
- To fund campus improvements, campus safety, technology updates, and our DEIJ initiatives.
- To fund our Garden Club, which grows a variety of fruit and veggies, distributes them to our students and families and then to the Lighthouse Shelter in the summer.
In previous years, schools have also used the funds for the following:
- Funding for uniforms and school field trips
- Funding bus transportation costs for college visit field trips
- Funding for Chromebooks, printer ink, technology, and other computer needs
- Funding for school lunches
- Support for after-school wellness clubs for low-income students
- Funding for t-shirts for the school Fun Run
- Funding for art supplies
- Funding for reading level books
Littmann commented on the donation, “K&B True Value and our co-sponsors are thrilled that these funds will be put to good use and will help the schools with their own initiatives and projects.”
Littmann also thanked the schools and particularly the customers who supported the initiative and made it the success that it has become. “We thank our customers who participated in this program with their donations and the entire Annapolis community for their support of our businesses. Because our community favors our stores and restaurants, we can make these matching donations.”
