Mom Starts GoFundMe for Ohio Preschool Teachers Who All Resigned at Once: 'Least I Could Do'

"They give so selflessly to teach and care for our children and have asked for nothing in return," organizer Mary Kelch tells PEOPLE

An Ohio community member is rallying behind a group of former teachers after they all resigned from their jobs.

Mary Kelch, a parent whose children attended the preschool, has created a GoFundMe account for “the most selfless group of teachers who gave everything” to St. Peter’s United Church of Christ in Amherst. The educators recently made headlines for all resigning at once following concerns about church leadership.

“In recent national news, this entire staff of teachers made the difficult decision to resign from their positions together due to the lack of transparency from St. Peter’s Church council with the preschool funds,” she wrote in a message on the fundraising page.

Kelch claimed “the teachers would ask the church for clear budgets and account balances including money from tuition payments, fundraiser, and donation money for the preschool and could never be provided with such."

The Ohio mother added that the women’s livelihoods have been affected by the sudden change, “as well as their end of the year bonuses they were counting on.”

“They have personally had such a positive and lasting impact on my children and family," Kelch tells PEOPLE of why she started the fundraiser. "They give so selflessly to teach and care for our children and have asked for nothing in return. The least I could do was to try and help raise the money for their end of the year bonuses."

“The take away for me was that while it was not easy, they stood up for what was right,” she adds. “I prayed this fundraiser would have the same reach as the initial news article because they are truly so deserving of this.”

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Kelch is asking for $20,000 in donations, writing on GoFundMe that although the now-former staff has been saddened and overwhelmed by their decision to resign, that “morally they have stood together for what is right.”

“I am asking for all of us to rally together - let’s get these teachers their bonuses that they likely will not receive and show them our support for the dedication they have shown to our community and families for the last two decades!” Kelch added.

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In an article published by ABC affiliate News 5 Cleveland, Wendy Kosakowski, former director of the preschool, said, "We held our heads up high, and we just left with our integrity and our morals.”

She also noted that the staff did "appreciate everything" they got from working at the school for a combined 50 years."

PEOPLE reached out to St. Peter’s United Church of Christ in Amherst for comment, but did not immediately hear back.

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