January 2026

As the sun sparkled on the sailboats outside our retreat window and an azure sky cradled Mt. Baker in the distance, our board rolled up its sleeves and spent a full Saturday examining our “why”. We committed to focus on that. We exist to inspire and empower. To spark a joy for learning is precisely why we work so hard all year long.

Being responsible stewards of our donors’ wishes, understanding their passions, and keeping them informed about the programs we fund is paramount to our mission. Did you know that we do not actively raise money for scholarships? The money we raise goes to support enrichment programs in STEM, the Arts and CTE. It also goes towards supporting mental health curriculum and support positions and towards early learning. And finally it goes back to the teachers and buildings through school block grants, which are available for teachers or schools to use to fund enrichment projects or materials.

To prepare for allocations next month, we took a long look at our successful fundraising and last year’s spending. And worked on ways we can make giving easy: DAF’s, QCD’s, and legacy giving.

While we try to support the district’s needs where we can, our board continually returns to its mission of sparking a joy for learning. We shared stories of our personal education journeys and meaningful memories of teachers or field trips that we still cling to today. We know that these experiences can change lives and infuse a curiosity that might not be tapped by a textbook alone.

So we head into 2026 with gratitude, achievable goals, imaginative thinking, and hope. Hope for our students. For our teachers. And for our community. We are thankful for the support that our donors and sponsors continue to give and for the volunteers who help make our events possible. To learn more about how to donate or volunteer, please visit www.asfkids.org/giving or www.asfkids.org/volunteer.