SchoolCARE is initiating a new campaign to highlight local businesses during the annual SchoolCARE Phonathon. Between March 18th and April 5th, volunteers will call all families with children in Albany schools and ask them to donate to SchoolCARE. We are looking for eight businesses or more to each sponsor a night of phone calls via matching donations of $500. The volunteers will emphasize the business match during every call, leveraging the match with families, and stress the strong support shown by each business for Albany schools. Following the Phonathon, SchoolCARE will continue to publicize the business in a variety of ways over the next year.

The campaign has just kicked off and we already have several businesses interested and four on board; Urban Ore, Eisenmann Architecture, Chad Shepard Real Estate, and As You Wish Frozen Yogurt. Many thanks to these businesses for being the first to pledge their support. If you are interested in learning more about this wonderful opportunity, please contact albanyschoolcare@yahoo.com

Thanks to everyone who supported SchoolCARE in 2011 and enabled us to make such an impact on our schools. We hope you'll do the same in 2012 and help us reach our fundraising goal of $300,000. For more information about making a tax deductible donation, please click on the Donate button. Alternatively, you can email albanyschoolcare@yahoo.com or call 510-898-6767.

Did you know that Albany's frozen yogurt shop, As You Wish, is generously donating 10% of sales to SchoolCARE on the first Monday of each month? Visit tomorrow, January 2nd, for another great opportunity to try their sensational frozen yogurts and toppings, and benefit our schools! As You Wish is open from 12:00 - 9:00 and can be found at 1205 Solano Avenue, across from Cornell school. 

As the current President of Albany SchoolCARE, it is an honor to present to you our newest board members, Sara Marcellino and Christopher Noble, both of whom have generously offered their personal talents and skills to help SchoolCARE better communicate with you, our community.

Sara Marcellino came to a SchoolCARE Meet & Greet back in the fall of 2010 hosted at the home of Helene and Gary Class, and immediately became helpful by offering to be the liaison to Cornell Elementary School PTA. Anyone who knows Sara also knows that she doesn’t test the waters by dipping in a toe; she jumps in. Since last fall, Sara has taken on a communications role  (previously provided by Barbara Grady Ayer), helped the fundraising team of Carol Newborg and Yael Bloom write and distribute letters to our business community, crafted a letter to new to district families including new kindergarteners, spearheaded a “thank you” campaign, and planned and moderated a SchoolCARE Board fundraising brainstorming session to help us focus our volunteer energy and efforts. Sara agreed to join SchoolCARE’s Board in June of 2011.

In her “real life”, Sara has more than a dozen years of experience in the Bay Area nonprofit sector, with significant experience in all types of fundraising, program and financial management, communications and outreach. Currently, as development Director for the Oakland-based nonprofit organization TransForm, Sara ensures the organization has the revenue to implement its mission to create
world-class transportation and walkable communities in the Bay Area and throughout California. Sara holds a M.A. in Geography and Human Environmental Studies from San Francisco State University and a B.A. in both Political Science and Philosophy from Boston College. Originally from New England, Sara moved to the Bay Area in 1995. Sara is married and the proud mother of two wonderful boys, Leo and Dexter. Sara nurtures her family and environment, including her vegetable garden, fruit trees and native plants.

Christopher Noble became involved in SchoolCARE only a few months ago in August by proactively sending me an email “wondering if anything needs doing over the summer”. We immediately put his much-needed writing and editing skills to work and by the end of August he had prepared the SchoolCARE flyer for the Back-to-School packets distributed to every incoming student.  After meeting the Board (and enjoying the genial atmosphere, wine, and food at the home of Treasurer Julie Burke), he agreed to join the SchoolCARE board in September, and most recently created our newsletter which was distributed to our donors in early November (a job recently done by Ellen Toomey). Even though this was more work than he originally expected, he is on board to help write and edit our Brochure (created and provided previously by Stacy Eisenmann) which will be dropped on the doorstep of all Albany residents in February. 

In his “real life” Chris has been a journalist for more than 20 years, having reported on stories including the launch of the single European currency, the U.S.-led bombing campaign in Kosovo, an examination of problems plaguing reconstruction efforts in Japan, and a 2009 reportage on South Africa’s economy. He is presently MarketWatch’s assistant managing editor for international news, responsible for daily coverage of international financial and economic news with a staff of about 14 journalists in eight Asian and European bureaus. Chris’ work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The International Herald Tribune, The New York Daily News and American Photo magazine.  Born in Suffern, NY, Chris earned a master’s degree in journalism from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and a bachelor’s degree, also from Columbia. He has two sons, one in fourth grade and one in ninth.

Thanks to everyone who visited As You Wish on November 7th to support SchoolCARE! There was an impressive turnout, and Bonnie and Abraham generously donated 10% of all sales that day. There's another chance to sample their delicious frozen yogurts and toppings at this month's First Monday event which is tomorrow, December 5th! Drop by anytime between noon and 9:00pm to support our schools and this local business. As You Wish is located at 1205 Solano, across from Cornell School.

Just down the block at 1175 Solano, Little Star Pizza will be donating 10% of sales to Albany Education Foundation, so perhaps enjoy lunch or dinner there before heading to As You Wish for dessert!

A big thank you to Bonnie and Abraham, who opened As You Wish last month at 1205 Solano Avenue, for agreeing to donate 10% of sales to SchoolCARE on the first Monday of each month, beginning November 7th. Please support this great new business, and us, by dropping by and sampling their delicious frozen yogurt between 12:00 and 9:00 every first Monday. For more information please see their website, http://www.asyouwishfroyo.com/ 

SchoolCARE is extremely grateful to Albany artist and parent, Kanna Aoki, who has pledged to donate 15% of sales from her current show to SchoolCARE. Please visit the Albany Community Center foyer to check out Kanna's work, which will be showing until October 2nd. You can also visit her website, www.kannaaoki.com and facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kanna-Aoki-Studio/237539201727 

Now that the 2011-2012 school year is underway, SchoolCARE volunteers are hard at work raising funds to benefit Albany students during 2012-2013. We appreciate all your donations, which enabled us to pledge over $250,000 to Albany schools this year - thank you. Please consider making a donation via JustGive (click on the 'Donate' button), or pick up an envelope in any school office to donate by cash or check.

We would love to hear from folks who would like to volunteer with SchoolCARE in some way. Click the 'Get Involved' button for more information.

AUSD Superintendent Marla Stephenson recently presented her proposed 2011 - 2012 budget in response to the news that the state is expected to cut $9 billion from public K - 12 education. This funding reduction represents a loss of at least $330 per child in Albany schools, and will result in our kids losing valuable programs and services across all grade levels. For more information, please click on the link for Superintendent Stephenson's PowerPoint presentation:
http://www.ausdk12.org/pdf/district/boe/archives/2010-2011/agendas%20and%20packets/66_4.25.11%20Budget%20Presentation.pdf

Donating to SchoolCARE could mean the difference between saving or eliminating a teacher or other staff position.

If you have not yet donated this year please click on the Donate button above to make a secure contribution via JustGive. Many thanks to those who have donated already.

Note: JustGive is a nonprofit organization and charges a small administrative fee for their services. This same fee would be applied if using a credit card to donate directly to SchoolCARE. As an all-volunteer organization, SchoolCARE finds this online service well worth the small charge.

Thanks to all the volunteers who have been doing a great job manning the phones in the last couple of weeks during our Spring Fundraising Drive. Many thanks also to the families who have made generous donations to help us in our quest to raise the funds needed to keep classes and programs intact next year. We still have a way to go to reach our goal of $300,000 and welcome all contributions. Please click the Donate button above for more information.

Callers are needed for three upcoming nights:

            Sunday, April 3     from 5 to 9 p.m.

            Monday, April 4     from 6:30 to 9 p.m.

            Tuesday, April 5    from 6:30 to 9 p.m.

Please volunteer by contacting Yael Bloom at ybloom@sbcglobal.net

SchoolCARE has supported Albany schools for ten years funding teaching positions and curriculum. The Spring Phonathon kicks off on March 20th and is critical to raising the funds our community is counting on. During one evening of calling Albany families, you will make a tremendous difference in the Albany schools. The Phonathon takes place at local real estate offices. Please contact us to volunteer or to help get the word out about SchoolCARE.

Dates: Evenings from 5-9 on Sunday, March 20 and 27. Evenings from 6:30-9 on Monday-Thursday, March 21-March 31st.
Contact person: Yael Bloom
Phone: 526-4640
Email: ybloom@sbcglobal.net

We're excited to be launching the 2010 - 2011 SchoolCARE Spring Fundraising Drive with a brochure drop on the weekend of March 12th - 13th. The following weekend, March 19th - 20th, heralds the start of our annual Phonathon. We need volunteers for both these events - contact us if you can help.