Piedmont for Oakland Public Schools (POPS) is launching our second Zoom fundraising campaign, POPS Back2School, on August 21 at 6 p.m.
POPS is a group of current Piedmont students and alums working to mobilize the Piedmont community to support Oakland organizations that fight for educational equity. In our June campaign we raised over $62,000 dollars to support Oakland schools.
Donations will go to two Oakland-based organizations that work to combat digital inequity in Oakland, The A to Z Fund and The Oakland REACH.
As of 2019, around 45 percent of Oakland Unified School District students do not have access to home internet. The lack of access to devices and wifi will result in even higher teacher turnover rate, detract from parents’ abilities to work, and create more social-emotional stressors.
The A to Z Fund provides Oakland Public Schools teachers with extra training and distributes money to educators to use for field trips, music, sports, and other underfunded opportunities from A to Z.
With distance learning, the A to Z is funding supplies to help kids continue to learn at home (science kits, books, etc.) or through their computers, PPE for teachers, and school supplies. The organization also distributes more money to schools with the most students who are low-income, English language learners, or in foster care. Since 2017 The A to Z Fund has awarded almost $450,000 in A to Z Fund grants to more than 300 Oakland public school educators.
The Oakland REACH is a grassroots, parent-led organization committed to empowering Black and brown families from underserved public schools.. In light of COVID and the national health crisis, the Oakland Reach has launched its biggest, boldest initiative yet: a city-wide “Virtual Hub,” where students can access online educational tools from a central website. The funds from this campaign will go towards funding specialists, teachers, and tech support for the second phase of the Virtual Hub. There were almost 180 families in the summer school, but they hope to continue supporting even more families in the fall.
Hear from Oakland students, parents, and representatives from the organizations at the August 21 event. Sign up HERE.
All donations are tax-deductible thanks to our fiscal sponsor: The Oakland Ed Fund, to which 10% of proceeds will support.