Jackson County Schools foundation reports $130,000 raised in year one; district receives $73,000 meal-debt grant

At the April 16 work session the Jackson County Schools Foundation reported that in its first year as a nonprofit it raised over $130,000 through strategic partnerships and staff donations. Foundation leaders said they awarded 14 staff grants and distributed 15 student scholarships of $1,000 each across district schools and alumni.

Foundation presenters described programmatic priorities (thanksgiving food drives, a food pantry, teacher-of-the-year events) and fundraising plans that include tournaments and community events to sustain grants and scholarships. They stressed an emphasis on returning scholarship and grant recipients to district schools when possible.

Separately, school nutrition director Taylor Blake told the board the district has served about 388,000 breakfasts and 788,000 lunches year-to-date (1.1 million total meals through February), with average daily participation of 49.6% and a free/reduced rate of 50.6%.

Blake announced a $73,000 grant from Zezys (a K-12 food-service vendor) that is earmarked to reduce student meal debt; staff said the grant will be publicly presented at South Jackson Elementary on April 29 and that the district's current student meal debt is "just over $80,000." Blake said she wrote the grant and credited school teams for supporting the application.

Board members thanked staff and foundation volunteers and asked follow-up questions about sustaining partnerships and whether grant funds will be used to directly support student meals and program costs. Foundation staff said more detailed plans for future fundraising and the use of proceeds will come in future reports.