Dear Friends,

The Sonoma Valley Education Foundation is here to support our students and schools during these unprecedented school closures. During this time, we are working closely with the School District to help with food security for families, as well as distance learning. In addition, we will provide you with links to school and community communications that are relevant to our students and their families.

Stay well!

Mary Favaro
Executive Director
SVEF Initiatives
Grocery Gift Cards For Students and Their Families

Approximately 60% of students in Sonoma Valley schools receive two meals a day at their school for free or reduced cost. Luckily, the school district is able to provide on-going meal service for these students during the school closures. The District is serving about 500 students per day at the meal pick up (link to details below). In addition, through our generous supporters, the Sonoma Valley Education Foundation is able to give additional support to these families by providing grocery gift cards at meal pick-up.  

Working with our grocery business partners (Safeway, Lucky, Whole Foods, Sonoma Market & Glen Ellen Market) we are providing $50 grocery gift cards. To date we have received nearly $30,000 in donations and will be distributing the first round of gift cards to students and their families this week. The program is ongoing, and as long as we receive donations for this program, we will continue to purchase and distribute the grocery gift cards.

Click below if you'd like to donate to the Grocery Gift Card program. Thank you for your support!
Schools and District Communications
For those of you who are not on the SVUSD e-mail distribution list, here are some important links that have recently gone out:
FAQ E-Mailed to District Families
Community Information and Links
Community Leaders Join to Launch Broad-Based Coalition For Food Security

Sonoma Valley Looking For Community Volunteers
Business Partners Helping the Community
Get Exercise For the Benefit of Others

Here’s an easy, fun and healthy way to support our Grocery Gift Card program: KOB Pilates + Yoga Owner and SVEF Board Member Kinh O'Brien is offering two workout classes in March via Zoom, and 100% of the proceeds will be donated to SVEF in support of Sonoma students during the school closures! (Additionally, Kinh will offer two classes the following week with 100% of the proceeds going toward Sonoma's Crescent Montessori School's Tuition Scholarship Fund.)

These are wonderful opportunities for spouses, kids and pets to get in some much needed movement during this time of self-isolation!

Here are details on how to join any of the classes and follow-through with a donation:

To support students in need during school closures via SVEF:

  • Wednesday, March 25 at 9am PST
  • Friday, March 27 at 9am PST

To support Sonoma's Crescent Montessori School's Tuition Scholarship Fund:

  • Wednesday April 1st at 9am PST
  • Friday April 3rd 4/3 at 9am PST

How to join:

1. Set up your mat/towel in a comfortable space, wear comfortable clothes to move in

2. A few minutes before 9am PST, click on this link:

You will be asked to download the Zoom app if you don’t already have it

3. Get ready to breathe and move for 45 minutes

4. Support the cause!

Venmo: @kinh-obrien-1
Paypal or Zelle:  kinhngo@gmail.com 

Thank you for joining in these light hearted and beneficial events!