Dear Underwood families,
As the holiday season approaches, we are particularly thankful for our wonderful Underwood School community. Our events this school year, such as the Back-to-School Picnic, First Annual Trivia Night, Ball-in-the-House concert for students, and parent/caregiver socials have been a success because of you.
We are writing to ask that if you have not yet made an annual membership contribution and you are in the financial position to do so please consider donating to our Giving Tuesday drive. Giving Tuesday (11/29) is a day on which those able are encouraged to donate to nonprofit and charitable organizations in their community. (Many employers also offer matching gifts, so please check at your place of employement!)
Our goal for this year’s Membership Dues Appeal is to raise $7,000 from 50 families. We are so thankful for everyone who has donated so far but have raised less than 25% of our annual goal. A gift of any size truly makes a difference in helping us achieve our mission.
What Your Donation Makes Possible:
- $25 buys a grocery gift card for a family in our community at the holidays.
- $50 provides five new books for our school library.
- $100 stocks the Staff Room for Teacher Appreciation Week.
- $300 supports one full-time teacher with classroom materials for the year.
- $500 funds one Creative Arts and Sciences program.
The Underwood PTO supports growth opportunities for our students and encourages communication, collaboration, and community among parents, staff, and neighbors. We accomplish this through: direct support to teachers and staff; programming for all students; technology updates; and community building events.
In 2022-23, the PTO is planning to provide nearly $40,000 in estimated support, including:
| Creative Arts and Sciences ($11,000) | Teacher, Library, & Principal allocations ($9,520) |
| Planned technology updates ($6,800) | Community events ($3,000) |
| Teacher appreciation ($2,500) | Updates to buildings/grounds/gardens ($1300) |
| Other programming (Understanding our Differences/Community Cares/CAP) ($2,400). |
We cannot continue to support these initiatives without your help. Historically, our membership dues have comprised approximately 15% or greater of our annual income.
The Underwood PTO is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and donations are tax deductible and eligible for matching donations from employers. Contributions can be made via paypal.me/underwoodpto, Venmo (@underwoodpto / Adam West), or by check made payable to “Underwood PTO.” Checks can be mailed to: Underwood PTO, 101 Vernon Street, Newton, MA 02458.
Sincerely,
Margaret Silva and Maggie Elitt
Underwood PTO Co-Presidents
All donations are tax-deductible under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Our tax-exempt organization number is 22-2562184. All parents and caregivers are members of the PTO regardless of contribution.
