RYE- The KEY Collective is honored to announce that it was chosen as the beneficiary of Rye Elementary School’s Mall in the Hall fundraiser, receiving $1,826 in support. The KEY Collective provides K-12 youth from low-income families throughout NH's seacoast region access to sports and other youth activities for free or at a reduced cost with no red tape and no social stigma attached.

Mall in the Hall has been an annual project led by Rye Elementary School students since 2005. When Hurricane Katrina hit, the Student Council wanted to do something to help a school that was destroyed. Students in the 3rd and 4th grades make items, such as candles, keychains, and snow globes, to sell to the rest of the school and the community. The students advertise their shops with signs and set their prices. “It is a wonderful afternoon as the hallways and gym are turned into a shopping mall. Every year it is held to raise money for a good cause that supports children,” explains Jacquie DeFreze, teacher and Student Council Advisor.

DeFreze learned about The KEY Collective through one of its board members. The Student Council selected The KEY Collective to receive the donation this year because the organization helps kids in their community. “I loved the Mall in the Hall because I knew all the money we raised would help kids in need,” says Henry, Grade 4. Pru, also Grade 4, “loved Mall in the Hall because it felt good knowing the money would go to charity.”

“We are honored that the 3rd and 4th graders at Rye Elementary thought of us. The students presented us with a check at an assembly in the school. It was incredible to see these young kids helping their peers with their creativity,” says Kristyn LaFleur, Executive Director of The KEY Collective. “This is the type of interaction that keeps us motivated to continue to invest in the young people in our community.”

**About the KEY Collective:**
The KEY Collective, founded in 2017, is a non-profit organization providing K-12 youth from low-income families throughout NH's seacoast region access to sports and other youth activities for free or at a reduced cost with no red tape and no social stigma attached. Learn more at www.keycollective.org.