Palo Alto Partners in Education Foundation Awarded $50,000 Gift from Local Realtor Juliana Lee
(December 27, 2012) PALO ALTO, CA – Palo Alto Partners in Education (PiE), the education foundation supporting Palo Alto Unified School District schools, [pullquote align=”right”]Download a PDF version of this press release.[/pullquote]today announced that it has been awarded a $50,000 gift by prominent local real estate executive Juliana Lee. Ms. Lee’s donation puts her among the leaders of the nearly 5,000 expected donors to Palo Alto schools through PiE this year.
“We are thrilled by this momentous gift from a leading local business person,” said PiE President Terry Godfrey. “These dollars will benefit every single child in the Palo Alto Unified School District every day by funding the kinds of programs we want for our children, but that the district can no longer afford.
“Palo Alto public schools provide an outstanding education to local children, and I wanted to make an impact in the district with this gift. My goal is to benefit as many children as possible – and the best way to help the Palo Alto schools is by giving to PiE,” said Ms. Lee. “As an immigrant from Taiwan, I hope to lead the way in local philanthropy. There are many Chinese families who move here mainly to send their children to Palo Alto schools. I hope other families will follow my example and give as much as possible to benefit our community and help keep schools strong.”
In light of this large gift, PiE is expanding its Business Partners program with the creation of a new level of giving, the Community Benefactor Level of $25,000 or higher. The Partners in Education Business Partners Program provides varying levels of recognition for those local businesses committed to supporting local education. Realtors®, retail businesses, medical providers, and other professionals are signing up to give between $500 and $50,000 to support Palo Alto schools through PiE. To learn more, go to papie.staging.wpengine.com/businesspartners.
The PiE foundation’s annual campaign channels the generosity of parents, community members, and local businesses to help fund staff and programs in the Palo Alto Unified School District. Last year, more than 4,600 families, businesses, and community members together gave a record $4.5 million to Palo Alto schools through the PiE foundation.
For the 2012-13 school year, PiE aims to raise $4.75 million for PAUSD schools in response to California state budget cuts of more than $10 million in the district over the past three years. Donations to Palo Alto schools through PiE help underwrite scores of teachers, specialists, counselors, and aides each year. This year’s PiE campaign will subsidize critical initiatives for kids in every grade including: classroom aides; specialists in reading, math, science and the arts; student guidance; college and career counseling; and a rich array of electives ranging from music to industrial tech, helping support PAUSD kids and provide the chance for student to find a passion in school.
“In this season of thankfulness, our schools have much to celebrate,” concluded Godfrey. “The support of the entire community has made an enormous difference in the quality of education in Palo Alto Unified. PiE volunteers and staff are very grateful for donors like Juliana Lee, whose generosity and compassion have a major impact on our schools.”
About Juliana Lee, Realton
Juliana Lee is a Palo Alto-‐based real estate agent with the firm of Keller Williams, who prides herself on giving back to the community she serves. Born in Taiwan, Ms. Lee holds both an MBA and a law degree. As an immigrant from China, Juliana has worked hard to master a new culture and provide a way for others new to the area to connect and thrive in Palo Alto. A member of Keller Williams’ Leadership Council and a top agent in Palo Alto over the past twenty years, Ms. Lee is also is an active member of the Northern California Taiwan Chamber of Commerce; the Stanford Chinese Association and the North American Chinese Realtors Association, and both the Palo Alto and San Jose Board of Realtors.
About Palo Alto Partners in Education (PiE)
Palo Alto Partners in Education (PiE) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) education foundation dedicated to supporting all Palo Alto public schools. PiE partners with parents, the school district, community members and businesses to raise funds that give all students in PAUSD the best education possible. Since PiE’s inception in 2004‐05, it has donated almost $20 million to Palo Alto schools. Parents and community members interested in supporting Palo Alto schools via PiE may visit its website at www.papie.staging.wpengine.com.
Contact
Andrea Fleming, Palo Alto Partners in Education
AndreaFleming@StanfordAlumni.org
650-856-7536