Foundation office manager Doerr finds joy in helping students
by Lynn Colburn
Some people are passionate about sports, some are passionate about playing an instrument or doing art or traveling. Some have gifts they bring to an aspect of their lives that help others or bring others joy.
In April Doerr’s case, it shines through her in the job she is doing for the Jacksonville Public Schools Foundation (JPSF). One can see the passion in her eyes and hear it in her voice as she smiles and talks about the work she “gets to do” for the Foundation.
The JPSF mission statement says it is a non-profit organization that is completely separate from District 117, but its purpose is to support students and educators of the district through its grant, fundraising, and scholarship initiatives to enhance life and learning opportunities for the Jacksonville area. The JPSF was established in 1986.
Leslie DeFrates is the Foundation’s Executive Director. April Doerr has been the office manager since August 2022. For the past two years, she has been following her heart and passion and using her gifts to assist many of the students in need through the JPSF.
According to Doerr, she had been working at a church in town for eight years. “Then in April 2022, I just decided it was time for a change,” she explains. I didn’t know where I was going to go or what I was going to do, I just felt in my heart it was time for something different. So, I spent the summer enjoying my kids. And then my friend Lori Karr (who held the position at the Foundation prior to Doerr), was talking to me and said, ‘Oh, you would be a good fit for this position.’”
Doerr goes on to say, “Lori told me about the position and what it entailed, and I thought about it. Then I made the decision to apply. It fit my requirements of a part-time position so I still had the freedom to volunteer at my kids’ schools and be there for my kids after school and other activities. Leslie DeFrates was already in position following Amy Albers’ retirement, and I had an interview with Leslie and she offered me the job.”
Doerr is married to Shawn Doerr and has three children, Logan (22), Braden (19), and Madilynn (13).
Doerr has a definite devotion to the job she does. One can see it when she talks about how, through her job at JPSF, she is able to assist area students through what they call the “closets”. There is the Shoe Closet, the Coat Closet and the Crimson Closet.
“I mainly man the closets,” says Doerr smiling. “So, what happens is that a District #117 teacher, principal, counselor, or school nurse will reach out to me with a request for shoes, coats, clothes, school supplies, etc. for a child at that teacher’s or administrator’s school. They make the request because they know that the child’s family cannot provide those items. Once I get that request, I will fulfill that need and send the requested item to the school for that student.”
“I love it,” Doerr continues with enthusiasm that is palpable, “because I’m a Christian, when I fell into this position it just felt so right to me. It felt like I could be Jesus’ hands & feet and help them and provide love to them in this way. So that is what I get to do!”
Doerr goes on to say, “I don’t usually get to see the children, but do every once in a while. I’ve had to take a coat out so a child could try it on and just to see the smile on the child’s face is so amazingly special. And I know, even when I don’t see it, that when a child gets that coat, he or she is feeling the warmth and is excited about putting that new coat on and that is all theirs.”
Her gift in life is that Doerr cares deeply, “That is the part of my job that I absolutely love! Those closets. Just helping a child feel loved!” Even on the forms for the children’s need it asks what their favorite color is and with that knowledge Doerr says she always tries to find a coat or clothes or shoes that each child will love! She likes matching gloves and at times a hat to match the coat just so they feel that extra bit of love and knows someone cares.”
“We have a great partnership with the Share the Spirit Foundation based in Sherman, Illinois, and the Shoe Sensation here in town to get the shoes for the children, and we work well with them. Two times per year, at the start of each semester, I will talk to Shoe Sensation about what we need for our closet in terms of sizes and types of shoes, the manager there will gather them for me, and I will go pick them up and Share the Spirit Foundation pays for them. The Foundation fills in the gaps after those shoes are distributed, or if a special size is needed.”
Anyone can donate to these causes by giving money or by bringing in new coats and shoes to put in the closets. On Jacksonville District 117’s website, there is a link to the Jacksonville Public School Foundation’s website (jsd117.org/foundation). On that site, there is a link to PayPal to make a charitable donation which helps the Foundation with these programs. The JPSF is a 501 (c) (3) organization which is eligible to receive matching gift donations from employers that provide matching gift funds made by its employees. If you have any questions, you can reach April Doerr at adoerr@jsd117.org.
“We appreciate all of our donors, both private donors and area businesses, who assist the Foundation in any way to support our area students,” says Doerr. “I can’t name everyone, but the local Lion’s Club is a wonderful source of school supplies for us. Annually in August, I organize with Walmart to help schedule the annual Lion’s Club School Supply Drive. The Lion’s Club members do all the work of accepting the donated supplies, and then they will bring all the school supplies to us. And then we will sort the supplies at the beginning of the school year and have them delivered to each school. I organized some of the supplies in our closets for when schools need more which includes Kleenex and hand sanitizers for the teachers, trying to lessen the burden of the teachers for them to buy all that themselves with their own money which they do for their classrooms.”
“That is the main part of my job,” continues Doerr. “I also help with the office needs and anything that is going on.”
Another part of Doerr’s job is to assist with campaigns like the 2024-25 Annual Campaign information that recently went out with the heading “Come and Build the Future With Us.”
“I help with the reports, get flyers out, mailings and things like that,” Doerr says.
In addition to working for the JPSF, Doerr is active with some of the ministries in the community including being on the board of the Jacksonville Area Food Center. At her church, Lincoln Avenue Baptist Church, she assists with Operation Christmas Child, a part of Samaritan’s Purse that sends gift-filled shoeboxes to children in need around the world. The 2024 drive took place Nov. 18-25.
Doerr also puts her generous heart into Lincoln Avenue Baptist Church’s Youth Group. Together with other parents they help the youth group have fun activities including weekly bible study, have monthly events like packing Operation Christmas Child boxes and Friendsgiving where the youth group all sit at one long table and enjoy fellowship together which Doerr says is really fun. She says again, these are the kind of activities that fill her heart and soul.
April’s heart, personal gifts and passions are definitely filling a need in the Jacksonville area and with the JPFS. Just as she really wants the kids to love their coats, shoes or other items, she obviously also cares about our community.
She says, “I just do what I do and I’m thankful for the position to let me do it. Having a job that you really enjoy in a great environment that also provides the opportunity for a good work-life balance makes this the perfect position.” Fortunately for all of us, when she was job searching, Doerr was definitely the right person, in the right place, at the right time for our community.
