ARISE High School  is a small community based independent public charter school in the heart of the Fruitvale community.  Our students and families are predominantly first and second generation immigrants, many are mixed status families, and 98% of our students qualify for free and reduced lunch.  This is to say that many of our families were struggling financially and in other ways long before the quarantine, and now, the impact of shelter-in-place for months is now devastating for them.  Many of our families will not receive a stimulus check, do not have access to government assistance, and will have difficulty accessing food, supplies, and basic needs.  We are trying to raise money to support our families that are most impacted by the quarantine. 

Our team at ARISE is working hard to identify the families in need through a survey that was put out to our entire school community as well as referrals from staff and students who are aware of families in need.  We will be distributing the money through electronic transfer when possible or delivering it directly to their homes in the upcoming weeks along with other resources such as food and supplies that we've been working to accrue.  All of the money we receive from this campaign will go directly into the hands of ARISE high school families in need. 

If you have any extra to give, even a few dollars, please consider donating. 

* Because there are a number of legal barriers to distributing cash to families through a school's banking account, and trying to get a fiscal sponsor or other funding agency would add additional delays to being able to distribute funds, Arianna Caplan, the Dean of School Culture for ARISE High School will be using her personal account to accept and redistribute the funds.  Please feel free to reach out to [email redacted]  or ARISE's Head of School Karla Gandiaga [email redacted] with any questions or concerns.