History

The Rochester Education Foundation (REF) was launched in 2003 to create tangible ways to help city school students become more successful. Its founders were determined to be independent of the Rochester City School District and apolitical, with a focus on helping students in city schools become successful adults.

Photo: Ken Huth

Our goal is to fill the gaps between what our kids need and what district funding allows.

REF was modeled after school foundations that exist around the country. Indeed, more than 90 urban areas have their own school foundations similar. Locally, school foundations help students in Brighton, Greece, Pittsford, Rush-Henrietta and West Irondequoit.

REF became part of Rochester Area Community Foundation Initiatives in 2003. In 2004, REF played a role in gathering funds to pay for school nurses after the County Legislature voted to eliminate funding midway through the school year.

In 2005, REF offered its first community project, Spring for Music, a drive to collect musical instruments for city school students and the funds to renovate those instruments. The drive was extremely successful, surpassing its goal of collecting 250 instruments. More than 400 instruments were collected during the month-long drive, and REF continues to receive them. To date, more than 450 instruments and the funds to repair them have been collected. The instruments are cleaned and repaired, then donated to the city school district.

In late 2005, REF received 501(c)(3) status as an independent not-for-profit. With a board in place, the organization left Rochester Area Community Foundation Initiatives in February 2006, and became fully independent.

In 2006, REF offered Give Back, Give Books, a community-wide books drive through which more than 10,000 new books were donated to be given to city school students to take home and donated to city school libraries. REF continues to accept new book donations through its Give Back, Give Books fund.

2006 also saw REF host its first-annual Partnership Awards Dinner to recognize community partnerships with Rochester city school district students. REF is also involved as a partner in the Rochester Literacy Initiative, and acts as a resource for organizations interested in developing partnerships with the Rochester City School District.