SFUSD and the San Francisco Education Fund Gather Donations for Families in Need

San Francisco (March 2, 2021) - The San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) is  partnering with the San Francisco Education Fund (Ed Fund) to collect donations for SFUSD families furthest from the opportunity. 

In response to requests for support from school staff on behalf of families, especially those who cannot access government aid, SFUSD and the SF Ed Fund are launching the COVID-19 Relief Fund For SFUSD Families with a goal of raising $250,000 to support 1,000 SFUSD families. Recipients, who will be identified by school staff using the metrics below, may use the funds at their discretion to help offset the costs of items like paying rent, buying groceries, or purchasing clothes, shoes or other supplies for their children.

“We know that many families have been hit hard by this pandemic and are in dire need of any assistance our community can offer. Our extended SFUSD community of staff, parents and partnering agencies care deeply about student learning and student well-being. This partnership with the Ed Fund is one of many ways we can come together during this challenging time,” said Gentle Blythe, Deputy Superintendent for Strategic Partnerships and Communications at SFUSD. 

“The SF Ed Fund understands that families and students are struggling to meet basic needs throughout the pandemic,” said Stacey Wang, CEO of the San Francisco Education Fund. “Partnering with SFUSD to provide relief aid is one step that we are taking to lift up our communities and get direct help in their hands.”

Donations are being collected online where donors have the choice to direct their donation to families living below the poverty line/eligible for free and reduced lunch/other measurable metric at a specific school site or more generally to any SFUSD family in those categories. If no families in need are identified at a school that has received donations, those funds will be redistributed to serve other families in need across SFUSD. 

On a rolling basis each month, funds will be distributed to schools identified as having a high concentration of high needs families and/or have received funds designated for families at their school site. As funds come in for each school, the SF Education Fund will work with SFUSD to nominate families to receive the funds after which the families will be contacted and invited to accept the funds. 

Donations of any amount can be made through the SF Education Fund.

To support SFUSD’s reopening efforts, Spark* SF Public Schools is raising funds for expenses not fully covered by public dollars. Support is needed for critically important individual instructional materials, new and expanded health and safety measures and services for students and families in under resourced communities. Learn more at Spark* SF Public Schools.

###