Santa Monica Ed Foundation Raises $669,222 For Back-To-School

SANTA MONICA, CA — The Santa Monica Education Foundation's back-to-school campaign netted $669,222 from 798 donors to fund staff and programs at Santa Monica public schools, the Ed Foundation announced Wednesday.

A $50,000 match from Santa Monica Place, owned by Macerich, and Kilroy Realty spearheaded the campaign, which also included two separate $2,500 one-day matches from Santa Monica Music Center, as well as Ilona Brown and Lisa Pound of Compass.

The money raised will fund arts programs, classroom aides, STEM and wellness programs at Santa Monica public schools, the press release said.

"This start to our annual fund campaign has been incredible," said Linda Greenberg, Executive Director of the Ed Foundation. "Each donor has shown their dedication to excellent public schools, and I am grateful to every one of them. Their donations bridge the gap between the basic education funded by the State of California and the vibrant education all students deserve."

The $50,000 match from Santa Monica Place and Kilroy Realty ran from August 16 through September 4. During the match, two other local businesses offered one-day Flash Matches to spark donations: Ilona Brown and Lisa Pound of Compass matched $2,500 in donations on August 27, and Santa Monica Music Center matched $2,500 on September 3.

"Kilroy Realty is thrilled to be part of such a successful fundraising campaign for local public schools," said Philip Tate, Senior Vice President, Development and Government Affairs. "Education is the key to positive change in our community and we are proud to play our part in ensuring that all students have the opportunity to excel in arts, STEM and other exciting programs."

One of the core values of Santa Monica Place is to contribute to a vibrant community, said Julia B. Ladd, Assistant Vice President, Property Management at Santa Monica Place. Santa Monica Place is committed to investing in "inspiring educational experiences" that impact every student in Santa Monica, she said.

"We are overjoyed at the tremendous response from parents and other community members who joined us in supporting our public schools," Ladd said.

Last year, the Ed Foundation annual fundraising contributed just over $2.1 million to Santa Monica schools. Fundraising for 2019-2020 school-year programs will continue through June 30, 2019.

For more information or to make a donation to support Santa Monica students, visit the Santa Monica Education Foundation website.