The 2024-25 School Year Update!

Dear Friends and Supporters of PEP,

“Words can't express how grateful we are for your kind donation,” and “Our class is so thrilled over the items you so generously donated!”  The work that we do continues to directly impact the students and educators of Butte County schools and they are supremely thankful. The work that PEP does could not be accomplished without the generosity of our supporters!

As I write this second annual update on Positive Educational Partnerships, I am blown away by the way our community has stepped up to support our schools!  We are, YOU are, making an impact with your support and providing encouragement to educators in the rewarding, yet challenging work of teaching.  YOU are also providing tools to students to help them achieve to the fullest extent possible, even as for some life has thrown them curveballs and school has become their one place of solace from the challenges of the lives they live.   

Through our community’s partnership, over the past school year we have:

• Impacted over 25 individual schools, with direct and indirect support for over 14,000 students.
• Raised over $34,000 in cash donations, which is a 70% increase from the previous school year!.
• Partnered with the North Valley Community Foundation and The Allstate Foundation to generate $11,000 to support schools. For a list of all of our Community Partners, check out the front page of PEP’s website.
• Provided a Teacher Wishlist opportunity to five schools, up from three schools last year. The support totaled over $14,000 in supplies that directly impacted students!
• Received and gave over 500 items from Klean Kanteen, worth thousands of dollars.
• Received hundreds of dollars worth of gift cards from local coffee shops including Beatniks, Sweet Bean, Upper Crust, and Tin Roof. 

These accomplishments were made possible because of YOU!  As we look ahead, we are excited to share our plans for the upcoming year and invite you to help make them a reality.

Goals for the Coming Year:

• Support School-site Wellness Centers: 
  
  • Having subbed for principals in multiple local schools these past couple of years, I can tell you firsthand that students are coming to school with increasingly more complex and challenging struggles. Because of this, more and more schools are designating a space on campus for students to take short breaks to reregulate their feelings and emotions.  PEP wants to provide resources for students to help in that process. Items that will be purchased include fidgets, art supplies, physical fitness items like mini-trampolines, footballs, etc. 
  • Having started and operated multiple Wellness Centers, I have seen firsthand how beneficial they can be for academic and behavioral student success. North Valley Community Foundation has granted PEP $6,000 through the Aaron Rodgers NorCal Fire Recovery Grant to support Wellness Centers on the Paradise Ridge.  We would love to be able to provide funding so that every Butte County school receives support to help students regulate their emotions and behaviors
• Provide Teacher Wishlists
  
  • There are many schools that PEP has not had the opportunity to provide wishlists to. In the next five years we’d love to give one to every school in Butte County. Each wishlist costs between $3,000-$10,000, depending on the size of the school. Teachers spend so much of their own money, and PEP wants to help. If that is something that strikes a chord with you, please reach out to me!
• Community Engagement: Foster stronger partnerships between schools, families, and our community.
  
  • Increase connections with community members and businesses that would like to provide donations to support schools. If you know a business who might be interested, please let me know at todd@pepschools.org.

How You Can Help: 

To achieve these goals, we need your continued support. We are launching our annual fundraising campaign with a goal of raising $50,000 for the upcoming school year. This will allow us to provide  more consistent, monthly support to all 26 of the schools that we interact with. Your donation will directly impact the lives of students and teachers, providing them with the tools and opportunities they need to thrive.

Donate Today:

• Online: Visit pepschools.org to make a secure online donation.
• Mail: Send a check payable to PEP to 929 Saint Clair Dr., Chico, CA  95926.
• Phone: Call us at 530-966-2993 to make a donation over the phone.

Every contribution, no matter the size, makes a difference. Together, we can ensure that our public schools continue to be places of growth, learning, and inspiration.

Thank you for your generosity and commitment to education. We look forward to your continued support and partnership.

Warm regards,

Todd Dowell, Founder

P.S. Stay connected with us on social media (Facebook-toddpepschools and Instagram-pepschools] for updates on our programs and impact. Together, we are making a difference!

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