VENTURA : Schools’ Group Kicks Off Drive

A foundation that raises money for the Ventura Unified School District’s 25 schools kicked off its 1994-95 fund-raising drive with a goal of raising $40,000.

The district’s Educational Foundation raised about $25,000 in the last school year, with contributions ranging from $5 individual gifts to corporate grants of more than $10,000.

All of the money went to support the district’s arts program and to award $500 grants to about 30 teachers for classroom equipment.

Founded in 1988 to help offset the funding cuts resulting from the 1978 Proposition 13 tax revolt, the foundation is one of the few organizations in Ventura County that raises money for an entire school district.

In most school districts, groups at individual schools raise their own money for classroom equipment and supplies. The amount of money raised varies widely among schools.

But the foundation distributes money equitably among all the schools in the district.

“Our goal is to give quality education to all students regardless of incomes,” said the foundation’s executive director, Sylvia McGinnis.

The foundation’s next fund-raiser is an all-day golf tournament Oct. 10 at Spanish Hills Golf and Country Club in Camarillo.

For information on the tournament or on volunteering or donating money to the foundation, call McGinnis at 652-7293.