From the archives: March 09
As the finish line for Aim High’s 2009 fundraising approached, Mark Lampert and Susan Byrd have stepped up to ensure the success of an Aim High site – and to challenge Aim High’s donor community to do the same.
Following the January 2009 event where Mark heard from Oakland USD administrator Vince Matthews, Aim High parent Pally Cottonham, and Aim High board member Glenn Shannon about Aim High’s incredible impact, Mark and Susan decided to take action to support Aim High students most in need.
Their $100,000 gift will sponsor Aim High’s SF Community School campus, which serves 100 students from San Francisco’s Mission and Excelsior neighborhoods. Under the leadership of co-directors Wendy Ginsburg and Stacey Thomas – both math teachers – AH-SF Community produces some of the best math and science results in the Aim High network; thanks to Mark and Susan’s gift, their students will continue to get incredible academic and social support at no cost this summer.
Mark and Susan have seen what Aim High’s powerful learning community can do for low-income youth and families. In light of the enormous financial challenges facing nonprofits and schools this year, they have chosen to put their support behind the summer program that has been changing lives in the Bay Area for 23 years – and they hope others in the Aim High donor community will do the same.
Aim High is seeking full sponsorships – up to $100,000 – to fully underwrite our sites in San Francisco’s Visitacion Valley and Chinatown neighborhood and in Oakland’s high-need Fruitvale district. Partial sponsorships – up to $50,000 –will supplement existing support for 8 other Aim High sites, including our Environmental Education site in the Marin Headlands.
If others rise to the occasion in 2009, Mark and Susan will consider renewing their challenge next year. “Aim High’s impact on kids is incredible to see. We want the Bay Area community to do whatever it takes to ensure these programs continue,” says Mark of the challenge.
To learn how you can sponsor or partially sponsor a campus this year, contact Laura Foulke at (415) 551-2312 or Alec Lee at (415) 551-2323.