The Santa Monica Education Foundation’s fundraising efforts received an additional $25,000 from their corporate partners on top of the $236,940 generated by donations. A total of 372 donors collectively raised the initial amount in just eight days, between January 23 and 31, after which MSD Partners and the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows supplemented it with a gift of just over 10 percent of the monies raised.
The impressive total of over $260k will be used to help support important programs and staff at Santa Monica’s 11 public schools. Funds raised will support a variety of essential staff and programs in the City’s public schools, including art programs, instructional aides, STEM classes, social-emotional programs and more for students next school year
MSD Partners and Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows have offered matching gifts to support the Foundation’s fundraising campaigns each year for the past seven years. Collectively, these matches have helped raise over $1.25 million.
"This was definitely a great way to end our parent fundraising campaign," said John Baracy, President of the Education Foundation’s Board of Directors. "MSD Partners and Fairmont Miramar Hotel and Bungalows continue to be there for our students, our schools and our community. I don’t know what we would do without their consistent and generous support each year. Their annual matching gifts have inspired thousands of donations over the many years."
Despite the school-based fundraising campaign having concluded, efforts are continuing through June 30, 2023 in an attempt to raise as much as possible for programs and staff for next school year. According to the Foundation, donations are down this year and only 81 percent of its annual goal has so far been reached.
"[We] are thrilled to see the response to this match," said Ellis O’Connor of MSD Partners. "Our partnership with the Ed Foundation – and our support of this community’s public schools – spans many years. We all know that schools form the bedrock of strong communities and we are proud to do our part to make them as robust as possible. We hope this might encourage other local businesses to support what’s most important, our children."
The Education Foundation will hold its 8th annual wine auction, which is scheduled to take place at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows at 101 Wilshire Blvd on Sunday, May 7. For more information, or to donate to support Santa Monica students, visit smedfoundation.org.
