Annual Fund is here – Envision, Believe, and Achieve with us!
At Mayer, we want all students to Envision their success, Believe that it’s possible and help set them up to Achieve it.
What is Friends of Mayer (FOM) and why do we need to regularly fundraise?
We are a nonprofit organization of parent volunteers dedicated to supporting Oscar Mayer School through fundraising and community-building efforts. Our fundraising initiatives help bridge the gap between the CPS budget and Mayer’s actual needs. In the 2024-2025 school year, CPS’s budget shortfall for Mayer exceeds $450,000, making it essential for donations through FOM to ensure that all students receive the resources they need. These funds provide Mayer with the flexibility to deliver the programs and services that help students thrive.
To learn more about FOM and upcoming events, check out our Home Page.
How does fundraising benefit my child and the school community at large?
Funding is used to support some of the direct school needs from supplies to staff, but we are also enabling Mayer’s discretionary dollars. We’ve continuously supported major needs such as:
Striving to maintain a 14:1 student: teacher ratio by having a teacher and assistant in all EC and E1 classrooms
Maintaining a full roster of Essentials classes - PE, Spanish, art, music, and library; new, this year, STEAM has been added to the roster
Continuing support for extracurricular athletic programs
Supporting our families in financial need through our Bulldog Relief Fund. This allows financially challenged students to take part in extracurriculars, field trips and overnights that they otherwise would’ve missed
Providing innovative programming for Wellness & Sustainability initiatives
Ensuring all needed staffing positions are funded, including a full Case Manager
This year, numerous important initiatives are underway at Mayer, benefiting the entire school community. We are focusing on several key projects that will have a meaningful impact on students of all ages and needs. Here are some specific efforts that our fundraising efforts are supporting to benefit the entire school community:
Orton-Gillingham Training – Teacher training program that improves literacy for diverse learners and students with dyslexia
Social Media Awareness – Educational resources and presentations for families around social media safety
STEAM program - Providing new 3D printers and Bee bots for students to learn technology
Art supplies – Additional supplies and tools that enable student creativity
Literacy Library – Guided Reading library to help manage students' reading needs at all levels
Smart Boards – A useful technology that has many uses for grades 4 through 8. Our current boards are woefully out of date and this would modernize those classrooms
Small Cafeteria organization – As a growing school of over 700 students we are constantly in need of optimizing our school’s space. We are making much-needed enhancements to allow this to be a more flexible space as our needs change
New basketball hoops – We are providing better equipment with adjustable hoops so that kids of all ages and abilities can participate in more physical activity
Help Mayer today!
We need your support to help all our students thrive! We’re aiming for over 60% participation this year and appreciate your contributions greatly.
As in previous years, we suggest a donation of $1,800 per child, but every contribution—no matter the amount—makes a meaningful impact. While most families participate, about 10% of our donors contribute $2,000 or more, and we are truly grateful for these generous gifts. However, no donation is too small; every gift has a meaningful impact, and we hope all families can find a way in their budget to support our students' continued success.
A simple way to double your impact is through your employer’s matching donation program. Many companies offer this benefit, and Mayer raised over $25,000 last year through matches alone! Check with your HR department for more details.
