04 Apr Foundation Donors have fed 197 families since March 20
Northshore community steps up to help local families. Foundation Donors have fed 197 families since March 20
BOTHELL, WA – In the past two weeks, local donors have fed an unprecedented number of hungry families in the Northshore School District.
Since 2018, the Northshore Schools Foundation has offered Basic Needs Aid to Northshore School District families when they are experiencing a crisis.
This one-time $200 financial assistance has been extended to families experiencing unexpected challenges. The intention is to help restore normalcy to a student’s life during an immediate crisis. Since 2018, the fund has served 54 families. This month, due to COVID-19, 197 families have received assistance.
“When we started this fund, we never in a million years fathomed that donors would be able to help so many families. Honestly, we were hoping we would never have to. The need we are hearing about now from Northshore families is unprecedented,” said Carmin Dalziel, Executive Director of the Northshore Schools Foundation. “Families are experiencing the immediate loss of the major breadwinner’s income and the stories are heartbreaking. I am so grateful our community is stepping up to help.”
Earlier this year, the Foundation received an angel donation to help remove barriers for students in the classroom. When the crisis hit, the donor redirected funds to help the families in our community immediately. Since then, two other angel donations have been received and several companies and organizations have stepped forward as well.
The partnership with Northshore Education Association (NSEA) is most significant. NSEA is the professional association representing approximately 1,300 certificated and 500 ESP employees in the Northshore School District.
Northshore School District staff make up 80% of the donors supporting the fund at this time, making it possible to support 100 additional families in need of groceries.
Each family nominated is eligible for a $200 grocery gift card. The Foundation expects to have gift cards in each nominated family’s hands within 1-6 days of being nominated. If you are a family in need, please contact your school’s administrator by email to get connected to Basic Needs Aid resources.
“Like everything now, this is all new and unexpected. We don’t know how much more the need will grow, but we are committed to continuing to offer the support as long as we are able to do so,” said Dalziel.
Donations are being accepted to support these efforts at NorthshoreSchoolsFoundation.org and gifts of stocks and other nontraditional gifts can also be accepted. To make a donation to support basic needs aid: Donate here.
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Northshore Schools Foundation is a local 501(c)3 non-profit serving students and teachers in the Northshore School District, located in the communities of Bothell, Kenmore, and Woodinville. Since 1995, Northshore Schools Foundation donors have funded more than $2 million in grants to benefit the district’s students and teachers. To learn more, visit www.northshoreschoolsfoundation.org.
