In response to one of the many questions the Harrisburg Public Schools Foundation has recently received regarding the critical financial situation facing the Harrisburg School District next year, an annual fund has been created for contributions.
Many concerned citizens have asked how they can contribute money to offset the severe deficit in the state’s public school budget. The answer is through gifts to the foundation, which operates as a means for contributions to be received, recognized and channeled to support the school district.
All gifts, at all levels, are appreciated and are handled respectfully as the contributor intended, with full public transparency and accountability.
The foundation is a non-profit, community-based organization that was launched in 1998. Its board of directors works in partnership with the school district leadership, the school board, and the business, political and community leadership to improve public education in Harrisburg.
The foundation’s mission is to improve academic achievement, support programming and promote leadership and personal development of students within the school district by facilitating community participation and bringing together resources, financial support and volunteers.
The school district is predominantly low-income; approximately 80 percent of the students qualify for the state subsidized school lunch program. The foundation understands the importance for all Pennsylvania public school students to be given equal educational opportunities and strives to create opportunities that will contribute to greater academic equality.
Through the efforts of the foundation, the school district has received more than $4 million from private contributors, foundations, businesses and service groups. The Educational Improvement Tax Credit, established by the General Assembly in 2001, encourages corporate contributions.
EITC money supports innovative educational programs that meet established criteria and are provided by approved organizations by the state Department of Community and Economic Development. The incentive – a tax credit of up to $300,000 per fiscal year – has allowed the foundation to provide more than $1 million for such programs as the school district’s former early childhood education program.
The foundation offers a variety of state-approved EITC programs, and other programs that contributors may designate as the recipient of a financial gift such as the Capital Area School for the Arts; the School of Business and Industry; the Johns Hopkins University Engineering Innovation; and SAT Prep courses.
However, contributors may also give generously to the annual fund for the foundation and the school district, with no restrictions. These non-designated gifts allow the foundation and district to delegate how and where the contributions can be used most effectively to meet the greatest needs; these gifts are critical to the foundation’s day-to-day operations.
The school district’s deficit for the next academic year will only be overcome through the cooperative efforts of the state’s elected officials, businesses and community members. Every contribution counts. And the district and the foundation count on you to participate with your financial support to the annual fund.
To donate, please make checks to Harrisburg Public School Foundation and mail to: P.O. Box 0054, Harrisburg, PA 17108-0054. For more information on the foundation, visit www.hbgsf.org.
Paul Zavinsky, Harrisburg Public Schools Foundation executive director, worked in public broadcasting for more than two decades including 10 years at WITF as the on-air, radio and television fundraising manager.
