Neighbors Helping Neighbors

When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’ - Mr. Rogers ​

Dear Ravenswood Community,

As we come to the end of our second week of school closures and sheltering in place, I am grateful to provide you with some updates from Ravenswood that will warm your heart and soothe your soul. 

How You Can Help

• Sign up to volunteer. All Students Matter and REF are partnering with the District to collect a bank of volunteers we can call on as opportunities arise. The District has identified significant volunteer needs related to technology distribution the week of April 6. We will be making every effort possible to maintain social distancing and adhere to health guidelines for folks who join in person. 
• Contribute to the REF Emergency Fund
• Donate and volunteer at Second Harvest Food Bank or Ecumenical Hunger Program
• If you are able, continue to pay folks who typically work in your home, or that you see in your daily lives. Many of the parents in Ravenswood work in service industries that pay hourly, so this time will be devastating economically. 
• Stay up to date by checking the District website.
• Please pass this email along to friends so they can join the REF email list.

REF Emergency Fund
Your generosity helped us achieve our matching grant and to date we have raised $383,776.85 for the REF Emergency Fund! In the last week alone, these funds have allowed the District to:

• Provide 234 gift cards to families to purchase essential groceries and household items
• Procure 300 masks for the child nutrition team to use to keep food distribution safe for families and staff
• Purchase 430 ipads for every TK, Kindergarten and first grade student to ensure that every child in the district has access to online learning (2nd-8th graders will receive chromebooks previously used in the classroom)
• Order 1650 hands-on at home learning STEM kits from KiwiCo to ensure that our students are able to engage in experiential learning regardless of what their family can provide

Community Champions 
Thank you to all the REF community members who are getting creative and using your expertise in all kinds of new ways to support the Ravenswood family through birthday fundraisers, live streaming yoga classes, sponsoring meals and more. Here are a few fun highlights from our community this week:

• Kelli Agnich is taking Porchraits in exchange for a contribution to the REF Emergency Fund.
• Thanasis Pashalidis and the Taverna team are providing hot meals to Ravenswood’s essential workers.

 
More to follow after the District reconvenes the week of April 6. In the meantime, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me with any questions or suggestions. I am so grateful to be part of this team of helpers with you - we truly are one community.

Warmly, 

Jenna Wachtel Pronovost
Executive Director