REF News
Jazz Fest Booth Nets 21 Instruments for Students
June 28, 2010
Rochester Education Foundation collected 21 musical instruments to be donated to students at its booth at the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival. While most were brought to us by jazz fans from the are, several were donated by a jazz festival attendee from Boston! This pushes the total number of instruments collected through our Spring for Music program over 725.
Click here for the whole story.
Cat in the Hat Gets Nod as Best Kids Book at Jazz Fest
June 28, 2010
Thanks to M&T Bank, REF once again had a booth at the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival. While our primary purpose there is to collect musical instruments for RCSD students through our Spring for Music program, volunteers staffing the booth polled Festival attendees about their favorite children's books.
Click here for the whole story.
Collaboration with National Academy Foundation (NAF) Announced
June 4, 2010
REF is proud to report that a new relationship has been established with the Rochester City School District's local chapter of the National Academy Foundation. With the help of NAF-provided course materials and the involvement of local businesses, themed academies are offered at three of the city's high schools, providing career-focused courses in addition to core classes. Students are also given opportunities to participate in a variety of activities including paid summer internships at local employers. REF will work to expand community involvement as internship providers, mentors and program committee members.
Click here for the whole story.
Biography Project for City Students Funded
May 15, 2010
Reading biographies can be particularly inspiring ...but what if the books in your school library are 20 years old? It's as if all the personalities of the last two decades don't exist. A newly-received grant from the Leon Levy Foundation will enable REF to acquire contemporary biographies for distribution through our Teachers' Choice process.
Click here for the whole story.
Teachers' Choice Book Distribution Supports Student Reading
December, 2009
More than 100 teachers applied to receive new books through REF's new Teachers' Choice application process, part of our ongoing Give Back, Give Books program. Twenty-eight applicants were chosen to receive books for a wide variety of great projects that will benefit city students at all grade levels.
Click here for the whole story.
4,000 Students to Receive Books and Blankets This Month
December 15, 2009
Donors near and far, individual and corporate, are making it possible for thousands of Rochester students to snuggle up with a new book and a fleece blanket this holiday season. Local luminaries joined BJ's employees to read to students at School 36 today, as this year's Book and a Blanket program got off to an exciting start.
Click here for the story and pictures.
Click here to read the Democrat and Chronicle's coverage.
REF "Book Social" Slated for November 10
November 6, 2009
Rochester Education Foundation will present a casual fundraising event Tuesday November 10th from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Monty's Corner, at the corner of Alexander and East Avenues. The REF Book Social, "Books and Buddies," features free appetizers, drink and beer specials, and the opportunity to meet others who care about city young people.
The cost is $20, including a contribution to REF to support our book programs for city students. Those who bring a new book for a city student pay $15.
There's free parking behind the Pita Pit when you mention REF.
For more information, call the REF office at 271-5790.
REF Book Fair at Barnes & Noble on August 22
July 29, 2009
Barnes & Noble in Pittsford Plaza is opening a new section for teacher and parent school materials, and celebrating with a benefit for REF.
Click here for all the details.
Major Supporters Enable REF to Continue Teachers' Choice in the Fall
July 29, 2009
Major donations from the Wilson Foundation, Rep. Susan John, and the M & T Bank Foundation will help REF donate thousands of books this fall through its Teachers' Choice program.
Click here for the whole story.
Honorees Announced for 2009 Partnership Awards Dinner
July 28, 2009
If an RCSD teacher ever feels alone in his or her good work, he or she need only attend REF's Partnership Awards Dinner to understand the depth and breadth of the partnerships supporting city school students. On October 20, 2009, we will present an impressive slate of awards at our fourth annual Partnership Awards Dinner.
Click here to learn about our award winners.
Click here for the details about our Partnership Awards Dinner.
United Way, Borders and Others Support City Students through REF
June 29, 2009
More than 1,500 new books will go to students this fall, thanks to a focus on literacy during the United Way of Greater Rochester's 2009 Day of Caring and an array of other book drives this spring. Ongoing donations like this continue to fuel our Give Back, Give Books program.
Click here for the whole story.
Jazz Festival Supports City Students
June 25, 2009
Generous donors have donated 16 musical instruments to us during and immediately after the 2009 edition of the Rochester International Jazz Festival, nudging the total collection of donated instruments over 600!
Click here for the story and photos.
REF to Collect Instruments for City Students at the Jazz Fest
June 10, 2009
Wouldn't it be great to see the city students of today starring at future Jazz Festivals? A first step is making sure they get a chance to play an instrument. To that end, we're happy to report that we will be collecting musical instruments for city students again at a booth at this year's Rochester International Jazz Festival.
Thanks to M&T Bank, which is donating the booth for our use, and to all the volunteers -- including wonderful M&T folks! -- who will be sitting at the booth.
Click here for all the details.
Kidbridge Brings Students Together for a Ballgame
May 28, 2009
Students at Schools 9, 22 and 39 participate in REF's Kidbridge program with students at Pittsford, Victor and Honeoye-Falls Lima schools. During the school year their contact was mostly digital -- e-mail, podcasts and videophones. Today some of those city and suburban students enjoyed a relaxed opportunity to meet and enjoy one another's company, over hotdogs and a Redwings game at Frontier Field.
Click here for the story and photos.
Seventh-Grade Students Visit UR Dining Hall
April 15, 2009
A great field trip exposes kids to new ideas and new possibilities. This one did just that, taking students from Wilson Foundation Academy to the University of Rochester's Danforth Dining Hall to visit with food service professionals.
Click here for the whole story.
Teachers Receive Books for Selected Projects
March 31, 2009
More than 200 teachers applied to receive new books through REF's new Teachers' Choice application process, part of our ongoing Give Back, Give Books program. Twenty-six applicants were chosen to receive books for a wide variety of great projects that will benefit city students at all grade levels.
Click here for the whole story.
Nominations Requested For Best Educators, School Volunteers
March 19, 2009
REF is requesting nominations for awards to be presented at our annual Partnership Awards Dinner. We are seeking nominations for the best volunteer serving city school students as well as nominations for the best educators in city schools.
Click here for all the details.
REF Receives Time-Warner Support for Literacy Efforts
February 27, 2009
 Time Warner has donated $5,000 to Rochester Education Foundation to support its literacy efforts.
Click here to read the whole story.
Academy for Career Development Supports REF
February 27, 2009
 The Academy for Career Development has donated a computer and software to the Rochester Education Foundation to support its programs. The organization has a strong focus on helping city students, and we're proud to have their support!
Click here to read the whole story.
New REF Business Partners
February 3, 2009
Two unconventional local businesses -- Bucks4Books and Rochester Subway -- have become valuable partners of the Rochester Education Foundation, demonstrating once again the power of small business in our community.
Click here to read the whole story.
Obama Inauguration Event to Benefit REF
January 4, 2009
We're proud to report that REF has been chosen as the not-for-profit recipient of proceeds from the Rochester Inauguration Day Dinner January 20th at 7 p.m. at the Harro East Ballroom! Thanks to the organizers, Rochester for Obama, for using this historic moment to support city students. Proceeds will be used to purchase books for city school libraries about topics including the U.S. Civil Rights movement and biographies of contemporary leaders such as President-Elect Barack Obama. The event features dinner as well as music by Prime Time Funk and The Voices of Clouds, and will include remarks from Mayor Robert J. Duffy.
Click here to purchase tickets.
Thumbs Way Up!
January 3, 2009
Students at Fairbanks Road Elementary School in Churchville received a "THUMBS UP" in the Democrat and Chronicle today for their participation in our Book and a Blanket Program in late December.
Click here to read the story.
Pittsford, Rochester School Districts Work Together on Educational Project
December 17, 2008
Third graders at School 9 and at Pittsford elementary schools capped a months-long distance learning project with an activity day spent together at RIT. This Kidbridge project was facilitated by REF, with support from a $20,000 civic engagement grant given by the Rochester Area Community Foundation.
Click here to read the Democrat and Chronicle's coverage.
Record 4000 Book & Blanket Sets To Be Donated This Winter
December 15, 2008
Volunteers throughout Rochester and Monroe County have been hard at work for months, making blankets and collecting new books, in preparation for a massive distribution by the Book and a Blanket program.
Click here for the whole story.
Honorees Announced for 2008 Partnership Awards Dinner
July 29, 2008
If an RCSD teacher ever feels alone in his or her good work, he or she need only attend REF's Partnership Awards Dinner to understand the depth and breadth of the partnerships supporting city school students. On October 28, 2008, we will present an impressive slate of awards at our third annual Partnership Awards Dinner.
Click here to learn about our award winners.
Click here for the details about our Partnership Awards Dinner.
REF Receives New York State Grant
July 24, 2008
Thanks to the efforts of Representative Joe Robach, Rochester Education Foundation has received a $15,000 New York State grant to support programs during the 2008-2009 school year.
Click here for the whole story.
Tickets Fore Charity to Benefit REF
July 2, 2008
The professional golfers on the Nationwide Tour stop at Irondequoit Country Club for the Xerox Classic golf tournament during the week of August 11 to 17. Buy your tickets through us, and the Rochester Education Foundation will receive 100% of the proceeds from your ticket purchase!
Click here for the whole story and our ticket order form.
Jazz Fest Donations, M & T Help City Students
June 23, 2008
M & T Bank, primary sponsor of the Rochester International Jazz Festival, generously offered REF a booth at the festival. We used it to gather donated musical instruments in support of our ongoing Spring for Music program, and generous festival attendees really came through! As a result, 41 instruments will go to work for students in city schools this fall.
Click here for the whole story.
REF to Collect Instruments for City Students at the Jazz Fest
June 9, 2008
Wouldn't it be great to see the city students of today starring at future Jazz Festivals? A first step is making sure they get a chance to play an instrument. To that end, we're happy to report that we will be collecting musical instruments for city students from 5 to 9 p.m. nightly at a booth at the Rochester International Jazz Festival, June 13 - 21. The booth will be located under a tent on Jazz Street (known as Gibbs Street the rest of the year).
Thanks to M & T Bank, which is donating the booth for our use, and to our volunteers -- including city school music teachers -- who will be sitting at the booth.
REF's Spring for Music program, launched in 2005, has donated about 530 instruments to the city schools for use by students. Click here for more information about Spring for Music.
Brockport College Drive A Success
March 11, 2008
The College at Brockport has exceeded its goal, collecting 1,301 new books and 500 gently used books in its 2nd annual Have Heart, Give a Book drive. REF is proud to be a partner in the drive, which donates books to students in need in Monroe and Orleans counties.
Click here for the whole story.
Holiday Book Donations from Local Donors Brighten Season
January 15, 2008
Five local businesses contributed more than 700 new books for city school students over the holidays.
Click here for the whole story.
Give Back, Give Books Partners with Mayor's Literacy Initiative Holiday Book Drive
December 20, 2007
Rochester Education Foundation is proud to be a partner of the Holiday Book Drive of the Mayor's Literacy Initiative. Through this effort, about 3,200 city school students will receive a new book over the holidays.
Click here to learn more.
Books and Blankets Marks 2,000 Donations
December 14, 2007
A far-flung coalition of community groups has been moved to donate more than 2,000 books and blankets this season, and delivery to our youngest RCSD students is under way.
Click here for the story and photos.
Click here for the Democrat and Chronicle's coverage of a Books and Blankets delivery at School 22.
Second Graders Receive Calendars with Literacy Theme
December 13, 2007
Thanks to a generous donation from Wegmans, each RCSD second grader will receive a 2008 calendar that promotes reading.
Click here for the details.
Wilson Foundation Gift to Advance Give Back, Give Books
November 8, 2007
Rochester Education Foundation has received a generous $2,500 grant from the Wilson Foundation to expand and improve our Give Back, Give Books program.
Click here to learn more.
Books and Blankets: Holiday Gifts for City Kids
September 21, 2007
Our new Books and Blankets program, a collaboration with Buddies, Bridges and Brains, aims to create a unique gift for thousands of city kids this winter: a soft fleece blanket and a book, bound with a cheery ribbon.
Click here to learn more.
Partnership Dinner to Honor Shining Stars
August 29, 2007
In response to our public call for nominations, we heard about the wonderful work of numerous dynamic educators and volunteers. Our judges labored over their decision, and we will present seven very special awards at our annual Partnership Awards Dinner on October 23, 2007.
Click here to learn about our award winners.
Click here for the details about our Partnership Awards Dinner.
John F. Wegman Fund Supports Give Back, Give Books
August 22, 2007
Rochester Education Foundation has received a $7,500 grant from the John F. Wegman Fund to support the continuation and improvement of its Give Back, Give Books program in 2007-2008.
Click here for the details.
Welcome to KidBridge
August 1, 2007
REF is pleased to announce the launch of a program intended to
jump-start a series of partnerships between towns and city schools.
Funded in part by a generous grant from Rochester Area Community
Foundation, KidBridge will support a new partnership between
Irondequoit and School 6, modeled on a successful four-year partnership between the town of Victor and School 22.
Click here for the whole story.
What I Learned at the Book Fair
May 9, 2007
Give Back, Give Books has been great for city school students ...and great for us, too. In a letter published in the Democrat and Chronicle, Pat Braus reflected on the lessons that she learned while giving books away to city students.
Click here to read Pat's essay.
City Students Grateful for Give Back, Give Books
April 18, 2007
We've held 17 book fairs and distributed over 8,500 books! REF has received scores of thank you notes from kids for the wonderful books received as a result of Give Back, Give Books.
Click here to see what students had to say.
Freedom Heroes Writing Contest
February 7, 2007
REF is helping to promote a unique opportunity for Rochester students to write or illustrate a children's book about one of Rochester's own heroes: Susan B. Anthony or Frederick Douglass.
Click here to learn more.
Wegmans Gift Lifts "Give Back, Give Books" Past Goal
November 28, 2006
A donation from Wegmans of 1,700 books has enabled Give Back, Give Books to reach its goal of 10,000 new books to donate to city school students. The gift was announced in conjunction with Rochester Mayor Robert J. Duffy's Leadership Summit on Literacy.
Click here for the whole story.
8,000 New Books Donated!
November 8, 2006
REF's Give Back, Give Books drive has received about 6,000 new books and the funds to purchase at least 2,000 more new books for city school students. The drive will continue, with various organizations, including SUNY Brockport, launching drives now. Mood Makers Books will continue to act as a drop-off point, and books can still be purchased on the Give Back, Give Books website: www.givebackgivebooks.org.
Click here for a complete update on the drive.
Partnership Awards Dinner Highlights Longstanding RCSD Supporters
November 1, 2006
Awards to Judge Michael Telesca, Dr. Walter Cooper, Lawyers for Learning, and Xerox for their longstanding support of and partnerships with Rochester city school students highlighted REF's first Partnership Awards Dinner.
Click here for the story and photos.
Support REF with High-Speed Frontier Link
October 23, 2006
Frontier has announced that it will support the Rochester Education Foundation with its Frontier Community Connections program.
When you sign up for High-Speed Internet service with Frontier -- or extend your current contract -- they will make a contribution to REF. For each REF supporter who signs up or extends their contract, Frontier will donate $25 (residential customers) or $50 (business customers).
Call Frontier at 777-5323 or go online at http://www.frontieronline.com/CommConn/ and be sure to mention code 2468758 to ensure that your donation goes to REF.
Please spread the word! The more people who call or enroll online, the more support REF will receive.
Drive Reaches 3,000 out of 10,000 Goal
October 17, 2006
With two weeks to go in the month-long drive, about three thousand books have been donated to the Give Back, Give Books community book drive. "We are very happy with the drive so far," said Patricia Braus, executive director of REF. "But we know we need to get more people involved to meet our goal of 10,000 books."
Click here to read the press release.
Kick-Off Press Conference Launches Give Back, Give Books Drive
September 26, 2006
The Rochester Education Foundation launched the Give Back, Give Books campaign with a kick-off press conference on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 at 2 p.m. The event was held at the Phillis Wheatley Community Library, a branch of the Rochester Public Library. Many public leaders were in attendance to provide their support for the campaign.
Click here to read the press release.
Click here to see photos of the event.
Spring for Music Continues to Pay Dividends
April, 2006
Although the Spring for Music program officially ended last May, donated instruments continue to come in, creating exciting new musical opportunities for students in the city schools!
Click here for the whole story.
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