Plumsted Township Schools Receives Two Grants from Teachers' Insurance Plan of NJ Funding Used to Encourage Reading and Communication Skills

RED BANK, N.J. and PLUMSTED, N.J., May 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Teachers' Insurance Plan of NJ awarded grants to Sarah Carey and Tom Chemris of the Plumsted Township school district, helping them in their missions to motivate young children to read and to improve the problem-solving skills of autistic students. Both educators applied for the grants as part of the Quotes for Cash program, a unique school fundraising program championed by Teachers' Insurance Plan of NJ.

"One of our fundamental goals is to have a positive impact, not only on the lives of our customers, but on the entire educational community," stated Marc V. Buro, President of Teachers Auto Insurance Company of New Jersey. "We understand that now, more than ever, awarding grants as part of Quotes for Cash can help schools fund valuable programs for New Jersey's students. It's wonderful to play a part in donating resources that aim to enrich the educational experience of our children and community."

New Egypt Primary School teacher Sarah Carey recognized the need to reorganize her school's library to better address the varying reading levels of students. A portion of the Quotes for Cash grant was used to purchase supplies needed for reorganizing the books according to reading level in order to allow students to choose books that are right for them. In turn, this will build students' confidence in reading and encourage them to read even more. "That's the way we teach reading – we keep a running record of each child's reading level and give them material that's appropriate," said Carey. "The reaction to the program has been very positive and parents are excited," she added. Remaining funding is being put toward Family Literacy Nights, another innovative idea to encourage reading.

Tom Chemris, a social worker at New Egypt High School, received a Quotes for Cash grant to assist in his program providing equine-assisted therapy to autistic children with physical, mental and emotional challenges. Equine therapy uses horses to help autistic students improve their understanding of nonverbal cues and develop problem-solving skills in a fun and low-stress environment. "We have already completed three therapy sessions and the program has made a tremendous difference in the lives of the students," said Chemris.

"We are committed to providing our customers with more than just cost savings and special auto insurance benefits. We really strive to create strong partnerships with schools and districts throughout New Jersey and provide unique funding opportunities to support the educational community in teaching our local children," Buro said.

About Quotes for Cash

Through Quotes for Cash, money is donated into a fund each time a school employee of a participating school or district receives a quote on New Jersey auto insurance with Teachers' Insurance Plan of NJ. For districts that are involved, there is an additional component that includes scholarships and grants. Since its inception in 2007, the program has generated more than $80,000 for local schools. For more information about Quotes for Cash, contact Chris Sappington at 732-978-6052.

Teachers Auto Insurance Company of New Jersey provides auto insurance exclusively to the faculty and staff (active and retired) of New Jersey licensed educational facilities. Studies show that educators as a group are lower risk and have fewer claims, so Teachers' Insurance Plan of NJ can offer lower rates than insurance companies who insure everybody. For more information, please visit www.nj-teachers.com.

SOURCE Teachers' Insurance Plan of NJ