- February 5, 2025
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Ricky Francois remembers when he attended a school where most of the students came from low-income families. He also never forgot how others rallied to help him and his school when they needed supplies.
So, he decided to pay it forward.
On Sept. 20, he wheeled in hundreds of dollars worth of school supplies into Port Orange Elementary School. The only thanks he wanted was to see the faces of the students benefiting from the donation.
"It's the best feeling," he said. "I can't help but love that."
Francois is originally from New Jersey but now works as a firefighter for Port Orange Fire and Rescue. In 2017, he founded Firefighter for Kids Nonprofit Corporation to collect school supplies and donations for local schools.
So far, he has donated to seven Title 1 schools within Volusia County, each delivery costing between $800 to $1,000. Port Orange Elementary is the first school he's donated to in Port Orange.
Michele Duguay, teacher on assignment at the school, said Francois approached them and asked what kind of supplies they may need.
Three weeks later, he delivered.
"It's an amazing thing that he's doing," she said.
Principal Tennille Wallace said the donation is generous and appreciated by staff and students. The new relationship with Francois may not have happened without community collaboration, she said.
The school maintains a close relationship with the Port Orange Police Department, Wallace said. Friends within the department told Francois about the school, and it sparked something new.
Duguay said the school, Port Orange Fire and Rescue and the Port Orange Police Department will enter a race to collect the most Box Tops, which can be cut out of hundreds of products found in the grocery store and are each worth 10 cents.
"It's an untapped resource, an easy way to get the community involved and we can raise thousands of dollars for the school," she said. "We wouldn't have thought about it if it wasn't for (Francois)."
More details will be announced at a later date.
Susan Freeman, area superintendent for Volusia County Schools, said the donation is a wonderful and generous act of kindness — one that she hopes sets a good example for students.
"I hope this inspires them to give back and help their school when they grow up," she said.
