PEP's August Newsletter 2026

Wellness Center resources delivered to Pine Ridge School in Paradise.

Showing Up, Listening, and Building Connections
PEP’s August Update

Hello, friends and supporters,

There’s something energizing about the beginning of a new school year. Classrooms are coming back to life, educators are welcoming students through their doors, and new opportunities are beginning to take shape.

For PEP, much of August has been about showing up and making connections.

Over the past several weeks, I’ve been visiting school district offices throughout Butte County to introduce PEP’s Wellness Center support and learn where we may be able to help. Sometimes that has meant sitting down with district leaders and talking through student needs. Other times, it has simply meant walking into a district office, introducing myself, leaving a card, and opening the door for a future conversation.

Some of those introductions are already turning into action. PEP has received Wellness Center resource orders from schools in Biggs Unified and Palermo Union Elementary School District, along with an inquiry from a Chico charter school interested in learning more about PEP’s support. In other districts, conversations and introductions are still developing.

That process reflects something important about how PEP wants to work: we don’t want to assume what schools need. We want to listen first. When educators identify what would be useful for their students, PEP can help provide those resources and connect school needs with people in our community who want to make a difference.

We’ve also created a new section on the PEP website to help educators and community members better understand what Wellness Centers are, why regulation matters for learning, and how these spaces support students.

Explore PEP Wellness Centers

We’re also beginning another form of support this school year by helping first-year teachers with classroom resources. Starting a teaching career can come with significant out-of-pocket expenses as new educators build their classrooms from the ground up. PEP is offering eligible first-year teachers up to $200 in support to help make that beginning a little easier.

Looking ahead, I hope you’ll join us for a special evening this fall. On Saturday, October 24, PEP will return to The Conservatory at The Westport for our second annual fundraiser. It will be a relaxed, cocktail-style evening with live music, charcuterie, conversation, and opportunities to see some of the actual Wellness Center resources being used in local schools.

More than anything, I want the evening to help people understand what happens when schools and communities work together.

Complimentary admission. Advance reservations are appreciated.

Reserve Your Complimentary Spot

Every Wellness Center resource delivered, every new teacher encouraged, and every new school partnership begins the same way—with someone deciding to take a small step.

A conversation.
An introduction.
A donation.
A connection.
A willingness to help.

Those individual actions may seem small, but together they create something much bigger.

Thank you for continuing to be part of PEP and for helping us bridge schools and communities.

Bridge Builder,
Todd Dowell