For many families, scrambling for school supplies each year is a stressful financial burden. That’s why toward the end of every summer the Foundation prepares and distributes hundreds of stuffed-to-the max backpacks.

Sponsored by the Foundation, hosted by Walmart and Fred Meyer in Battle Ground, and supported by First Student (the Battle Ground Public Schools transportation company) and community volunteers, Stuff the Bus is traditionally held on the third Saturday in August. A crucial part of our Back Pack Program, during a four-hour window these store partners offer shoppers lists of needed school supplies for them to purchase and donate. This effort ensures all students have the supplies they need to begin the new school year.

We donated almost $20,000 to install naloxone response boxes in all of Battle Ground Public Schools’ high schools, middle schools, and primary schools, as well as to supply units of the overdose-reversal medication for on-site security officers. The funding, requested by the school district, follows a previous donation to provide AEDs in the schools, and gave us another wonderful opportunity to contribute toward our students’ safety.

Our annual auction and dinner, typically held on the first Saturday of October and the Battle Ground Community Center. Funds raised through Destination Graduation support critical grant programs, libraries, the arts, health and safety, among other resources in the Battle Ground school distract. Recently, we have added a special campaign toward post-high school scholarships.

We were delighted to award $10,000 in funding across BGPS’s three high school drama programs. The funds were used to purchase badly needed curtains, lights, and sound boards for the various schools.