Hello! Destination Management supports teachers’ efforts to broaden the educational experience for all children. The Hello! Florida Field Trip Fund, founded by Director of Special Accounts Shannon Orme, is an ongoing program that enables Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) children who are experiencing poverty or homelessness to attend STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) focused field trips at no cost.

Hello! recently partnered with the Talk of the Town Restaurant Group to benefit the Hello! Florida Field Trip Fund. During the month of August 2017, guests were invited to round up their check up to the nearest dollar to support the Hello! Florida Field Trip Fund. Thanks to the support of the local community, the program raised over $12,600 to help classroom content become more relevant and meaningful for low-income OCPS children.

In the past two years, the Hello! Florida Field Trip Fund has been able to send over 1,200 local children on fun, educational school field trips that they would not otherwise be able to afford. Fundraising efforts were unprecedented in 2017, with over $32,000 raised to support OCPS children. It could not have come at a better time; Hurricanes Irma and Maria brought an influx of 3,200 new children from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands to OCPS. Using funds from the Hello! Florida Field Trip Fund, administrators were recently able to send many of these relocated children to SeaWorld Orlando.

For more information about the Hello! Florida Field Trip Fund or to find out how you can support its mission, please contact Shannon Orme at 321.229.1269 or sorme@hello-dmc.com.