november 2023 update

Dear Friend of the Foundation,

'Tis the season for gratitude.

And I am grateful to live in a community full of kind and compassionate people.

Last month we held our annual breakfast, during which we shared a story about Anitra, a single mom who -- through a whole lot of hard work and determination, and a little assistance from the Principal's Emergency Fund -- transitioned her family from couch-surfing to stable housing.

While Anitra's story has a happy ending, every year more than 300 students in the Olympia School District are in a situation similar to the one Anitra and her daughter faced. And while families are working harder than ever to provide their students with basic needs, the ever-rising cost of living in Thurston County continues to make that a struggle.

To help support the increasing number of families in need of rental assistance, we challenged attendees at our event to help us raise $10,000 in less than 24 hours so that we could receive a $10,000 matching grant from Help Us Move In.

Our guests generously and quickly met that challenge. We received a check for that matching grant a few days later -- and just in time.

Just last month, gifts made at the Oct. 13 event have already supported housing assistance for 47 students -- helping them escape the trauma of being evicted from their home. What's more, because they were not displaced, those students can continue to thrive from the stability of attending the same school and learning from the same teacher every day -- not to mention enjoy nourishing meals in the school cafeteria and maintain critical relationships with their peers inside and outside of the classroom.

While these students are not in the position of being able to say, "Thank you for making a difference in my life," please know that when I sit down for Thanksgiving dinner with my family, and we all share what we are most grateful for this year, this caring community will be at the top of my list.

In gratitude,
Katy Johansson
Executive Director | Olympia Education Foundation