About Us

Founded in 1998, The REACH Foundation of Rockland, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization that raises funds to support innovative educational programs for students and the community at large.

In 2000, we initiated a senior citizen computer educational program at Suffern High School, free of charge. Senior citizens were taught how to work a computer, navigate the web and email their grandchildren. This was an intergenerational program where students from the high school volunteered their time to work one-on-one with the senior citizens while an instructor taught the curriculum. Over 350 senior citizens benefited from this program.

Bringing together all members of our community, REACH “ran” our first annual Family Fun Run the spring of 2006. Due to it's overwhelming success we are planning on having another “marathon” event each spring.

For our friends who preferred more “sedate” activities, REACH started our first annual Wine Tasting event in the fall of 2006. Hors d’oeuvres, fine wines and fun times were served! It was even educational! Stay tuned for our next lesson scheduled in 2008.

Listening to community input, REACH, in conjunction with Suffern High School, offered a Speed Reading/Study Skills program in Spring 2007. Classes filled up immediately and our students learned some valuable life-long skills.

The REACH Foundation was responsible for bringing Driver’s Education to Suffern High School. The program is a huge success providing convenience for district parents, and quality driver’s training with associated insurance discounts.

REACH was also the catalyst in bringing together the Town of Ramapo and the Ramapo Central School District offering community residents and students Lifelong Learning Programs.

Additionally, REACH awards scholarships to Suffern High School students for summer programs that develop academic, community service and leadership skills. Some of the student scholarship programs that were funded include:

Internship at Nyack Hospital Pediatric Department & local soup kitchen volunteer
Academic Study Associates Program (ASA) in Oxford, England
National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine, Georgetown University
Presidential Classroom Program, Washington, DC
Community Service Project, 92nd Street YMCA, New York City
Brighton Cultural Immersion, Costa Rica
Windsor Mountain Panama Project
Cornell University Research Project
Bergen Academy of Music

The REACH Foundation Mini-Grant Program provides resources that enable our teachers and community organizations to develop and implement innovative educational programs within our schools. REACH has awarded over $90,000 in mini-grants to every school in the Ramapo Central School District. The following are examples of some of the innovative programs the REACH Foundation has funded:

Robotics- Suffern High School
SADD- Students Against Destructive Decisions, SMS & SHS
Clearwater Tideline Discovery Program- RP Connor Elementary School
Polar Regions Artifact Box- All 3rd grade students, district wide
Latin American Cultural Experience- All Montebello Elementary students
Exploring How & Why Buildings Change Over Time- 1st grade Viola Elementary
Totable Math - All Kindergarten students, Cherry Lane Elementary
Orienteering & Navigation - All Cherry Lane Elementary students
The World Language Signs Project- All 11th and 12th grades, SHS
Student Artists Community Outreach- All 10th, 11th, 12th grades, SHS
Functional Training Equipment for Weight Room, All Suffern High School Students and Staff, Ramapo Central Community
DartFish Software for Sloatsburg Elementary School
Using iPods to differentiate instruction for ESL at SMS
Westchester Philharmonic "Mozart & Me" – Viola Elementary 3rd graders
Basic Social Skills to Enhance School Functioning – RP Connor Kindergarten
Peers in Pairs Program – Pilot Peer Mentoring Program at SMS

Our most expansive project to date was the construction of an outdoor amphitheater/classroom at Suffern High School. This new landscaping has projected a beautiful and inspiring setting for outdoor classes during and after school, a place for extracurricular groups to meet, as well as a location for school and community concerts and events. Installation of this amphitheater was completed in the summer of 2005. Buy a brick paver and be a permanent part of Suffern High School history!

“Thanks to everyone involved in making the amphitheater happen. Students and teachers use it all the time. We love it. It has made a great impact in our school.”
- Suffern High School Student, speaking at a Board of Education meeting.

Since the completion of the landscaping at Suffern High School in 2005, Reach has committed to beautifying the landscape of all schools in the Ramapo Central School District. In Spring 2008 the entrance to Suffern Middle School will be enhanced with new colorful gardens including a parklike setting under the beautiful maple tree. Each year thereafter Reach will continue to landscape each elementary school while committing to mainting all previous school landscaping.

The Reach Foundation sponsor community programs such as the “Songwriters Circle” and Financial Planning for Women held at Suffern Free Library. We also sponsored new electives at Suffern Highs School including Drivers Education for students. We also acted as a catalyst to get a new SAT prep class into the high school curriculum.

Reach raises funding for these wonderful programs through annual fundraisers such as our Family Fun Run/Walk/5K, Night at Vegas events, Dinner Dances, Wine Tasting and more! If you want to find out more about how you can help visit the Fundraising section of our website.