D21 Non-Profit To Raise $20,000 To Assist Students
The North Wasco County Education Foundation launched A COVID Response Special Fund on Wednesday in efforts to provide an equitable education for all in D21.
“Priority number one is enhanced tech access for all students,” said Rebecca Thistlethwaite, Foundation and School board member. “We are already putting orders in despite not having all the funding,” she said.
“You can’t do distance learning if you do not have the device to participate,” she said of students without internet or computers. “This is to close the gap. Every child K through 12 should have a device and internet access. This is ensuring our promise that no kid is left behind.”
The nonprofit Education Foundation is working with Google and the local education service district to buy hundreds of additional Chromebooks at a discount. This will also give the district a small surplus when computers fails.
“We are at 6 percent overnight,” Thistlethwaite said of achieving the $20,000 goal. “I opened my email this morning and we were at $1,200. I was pretty thrilled.”
Contributions will also go toward meals. The district served 5,600 last week, according to Thistlethwaite, and the district is ramping up to offer breakfast, lunch and dinner to every child 18 and under who needs one. In addition, the district is also working with the food banks to assist in sending food home to families in need during the weekends.
“I think the district is going way above and beyond by going to three meals a day,” she said.
In addition, funding will also go toward some gas cards for families who need to purchase fuel to travel to receive services.
The District is seeking cash donations at this time. While you may be compelled to donate products, they cannot gather and organize those at this time. Food donations can be made to the Oregon Food Bank.
The distribution and delivery of these items will be coordinated by the school district. There may be a need for volunteers. A call for help to assist in organizing or delivering items could come in the near future.
Tax-deductible donations can easily be made via a Paypal link found on their website, https://northwascoed.org/ or checks can be made to "Education Foundation of North Wasco County SD21" and mailed to:
3632 West 10th Street, The Dalles, OR 97058 Please write in the memo: COVID Response Fund.
Members of the North Wasco County Education Foundation are Amber Tilton, Andrew Myers, Davina Craig, Stephen Jupe, Anne Codding, Ken Onstott, David Wagenblast, Rymmel Lovell, Candy Armstrong, Kurt Evans and Thistlethwaite.
