In times of crisis, it is essential that emergency funds are deployed quickly to those who need them most. The Covid-19 pandemic and its resulting consequences -- including job loss -- adversely affected many of our District 214 students and families. 

And our local communities responded to that need. In the year following the initial onset of the pandemic, donors to the D214 Education Foundation’s 214 Cares fund raised and distributed more than $100,000 to provide immediate relief to nearly 400 families.

But the needs did not stop there, and neither did we. Since 2021, 214 Cares has continued and grown to address a wide array of critical needs for students and their families, including housing and transportation, food and clothing, medical costs, mental health, and memorial expenses.

We’re proud of the impact we continue to have. But the needs significantly outweigh the available funds. With approximately one in three of our students facing some form of financial hardship, there is not a week that goes by without a request on a student’s behalf from a teacher, counselor, or community member. And we are often only able to fulfill a portion of those requests.

With your help, we can support each and every District 214 family who needs it. Your gift today will go directly to students and families in our communities, based on the guidance and recommendations of the educators who know their needs better than anyone. The unprecedented challenges we faced at the height of the crisis was also an opportunity to reveal the true character of our communities. Our time to show how much we care. That time lives on, and we can still show our friends and neighbors just how much we care. Thank you.

Parents and students facing unforeseen needs due to Covid or or other adverse situations should contact their school counselors.