STANWOOD — A Stanwood foundation raised more than $55,000 to provide school supplies for all elementary students in the Stanwood-Camano School District.
The Stanwood-Camano Area Foundation launched a campaign on May 15 and reached its $55,000 goal a few weeks later, according to Executive Director Natalie Hagglund. As of June 5, the total raised is $58,054. They will reserve any money above $55,000 for next year, Hagglund wrote in an email.
SCAF dedicated about half of the money from its own Floyd and Delores Jones Endowed Fund. Community members donated the rest.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the Stanwood-Camano School District provided free school supplies to elementary students, with the help of federal and state pandemic relief, according to Evan Caldwell, a spokesperson for the school district, on social media.
The 2025-26 school year saw the district discontinuing free supplies because of “rising costs, ongoing state funding limitations and the expiration of temporary federal funds,” Caldwell wrote.
SCAF wanted to do more to support education in its community, Hagglund wrote. “We were aware that our school district was making budget cuts, so we reached out to determine if there was anything we could do to help.”
Raising money to pay for school supplies seemed like the perfect fit because it would have a direct impact on families, Hagglund said.
Schools in Everett, Edmonds, Monroe, Snohomish and Lynnwood do not provide supplies to students. Supply lists are given to parents to purchase supplies themselves. Some school districts, including Monroe, may be able to provide support on a case-by-case basis.
The beginning of every school year came with some shock when the total cost of school supplies was added up, said Shawn Smith, city administrator for Stanwood.
“Gratefully, my family was able to make it work,” he said in an interview, “but not everybody is able to do that.”
The Stanwood-Camano School District said it was “blown away” by the foundation’s donation.
Taylor Scott Richmond: 425-339-3046; taylor.richmond@heraldnet.com; X: @BTayOkay
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