Drake Maye, quarterback for the New England Patriots, and his wife Ann Michael transferred $15,000 in Amazon gift cards to cover the classroom wish lists of every teacher and support staff at Alfred Lima Sr. Elementary School in Providence, Rhode Island, just before the fall semester began.
Alfred Lima, a Title I elementary that serves a high‑income‑disadvantaged population, has 98 % of its students receiving free or reduced‑price lunch and over 400 multilingual learners. The infusion of funds gives the school the means to purchase supplies that were previously out of reach for its educators.
Principal Tonya Costa, who has spent 26 years shaping the school, confirmed the offer after vetting the Mayes through a series of emails and a phone call. 'We were a little skeptical at first,' Costa told WPRI‑12, but after speaking with the couple she said the donation was real. Teachers cried, some saying they had never seen such generosity; third‑grade teacher Kristen Ayotte, a Patriots fan, said she was "excited" to receive the support.
The MayeDay Family Foundation, launched by Maye in March, previously raised over $500,000 at a celebrity softball classic in Worcester, Massachusetts, to help children and families in New England and North Carolina.
School officials plan a "Maye Day" celebration in May to thank the couple in person, while the new supplies will allow educators to introduce "luxury" items that enhance learning experiences.