Page 11 - November-December Klahanie Magazine

I ssaquah

S C H O O L F OU N DAT I O N

by Carolyn Kennedy C O MM U NI T Y

It’s the time of year when many people low-income families. The Issaquah
focus on the things for which they are Schools Foundation works to help
thankful. It’s good to spend the time students with needs such as food
as it’s easy to take things in our life support, school supplies, and testing
for granted. For many, having food scholarships.
on the table, or supplies for our kids’
Our food support program helps
schoolwork is a given. Not a lot of
students who are hungry during the
thought as to the source of our next
school day. It’s hard to concentrate
meal or if our child has a number 2
when your stomach is growling. The
pencil for their test. That is not the
Foundation provides funds so that each
case for every family in our district,
school may purchase food to have on
and the Issaquah Schools Foundation
hand for hungry students including
wants to make sure that all students
snack items like cheese sticks, and continue to see this program grow.
have what they need to succeed in
apples, crackers, as well as breakfast
school. For high school students, there are
sandwiches at the middle schools and other things such as the cost of AP or IB
Even in a seemingly affluent area lunch support as needed at the high tests that are desired for college credit.
such as ours, there are families in schools. Our generous donors and So that students wishing to take those
need. Approximately 2000 families wonderful sponsors such as Klahanie’s tests aren’t left behind, the Foundation
in our school district identify as being own Hops & Drops help to fund this supports scholarships to fund the cost
eligible for the free and reduced lunch program.
for those who can’t afford them.
program. Anecdotal evidence from
Tools4School is a partnership between
principals and counselors lead us Whether you have a student at
the Issaquah Schools Foundation and
to believe that the actual number is Challenger, Beaver Lake, or Skyline,
Issaquah Food and Clothing bank to
higher. Some families choose not to or wish to support the child on your
ensure all students in the Issaquah
report because of fear of stigmatizing block, strong schools make for strong
School District begin the school year
their children and others are in and communities, and donations to the
with a backpack and grade appropriate
out of homelessness. Due to the low Issaquah Schools Foundation help fund
school supplies. We distributed over
documented percentage of need, programs designed to support student
1000 backpacks filled with the basic
services in our area are more limited success. Visit www.isfdn.org for more
needed supplies to students this year
than those with greater numbers of information and to donate today.

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