A student is desperately in need of new shoes. Another hasn’t eaten in two days. A high school senior needs help applying for colleges. One parent needs gas to get her kids to school. A few students who are homeless need hygiene products and a place to shower. These are just a few examples of the amazing work that the North Thurston Education Foundation (NTEF) does for students at all 24 schools in North Thurston Public Schools. They are a separate entity from the school district. And, while many programs stop serving kids over 12, NTEF serves any student in the district through high school.
Deanna East, executive director of NTEF, is the sole employee of the nonprofit, which officially began in 1989. Everyone else that helps students, teachers and parents in the districts are volunteers. Deanna manages all the programs and the volunteer committees that handle the three overarching programs: Student Assistance Grants, Learning Improvement Grants and scholarships for post-secondary education.
Student Assistance Grants Boost Student Success at North Thurston Schools
Student Assistance Grants are the North Thurston Education Foundation’s program that supports students who are low-income and/or homeless and their families. “They built up an incredible program for finding different needs,” shares Deanna. “We were originally founded to help support these students’ needs and so we are always finding new ways that we can support students. It’s awesome.”
Most of the time, eligible students are part of the free or reduced lunch program at the schools. In the 2023-2024 school year, that amounted to 6,469 students out of 15,245 total. However, Deanna is quick to say that they aren’t going to turn away a family in need. “Say a family just lost everything in a fire, of course, we’re going to say yes,” she explains.
The grants cover a wide range of things from students’ basic needs like clothing and food; testing fees; gas cards; one-time assistance rental assistance; gift cards for groceries; host families, and laundry and shower facilities for youth who are homeless; partnerships with other organizations that provide services to students; holiday help and more. For the 2023-2024 school year, this amounted to roughly $245,000 used to help North Thurston students and their families.
They work with TOGETHER!, Little Red School House Project , Boys & Girls Clubs of Thurston County, South Sound YMCA, Lacey Loves to Read, Shop with a Cop, Lacey Fire Holiday Party and others. NTEF works with St. Mark Lutheran Church, which has a laundry facility at the church run by volunteers that Noth Thurston Public School families can use. They also have a shower facility the families can utilize. And the Grace Guest House, that hosts a NTPS homeless family.
“The beauty of our program is for most needs we make sure funds and items are donated to the schools so staff can quickly and quietly provide items as needed to minimize potential discomfort or shame, ensuring that those in need receive the assistance they require,” explains Deanna. “For rental assistance, they have an application process, and that is sent to me.”
School staff are given credit cards that they can use to immediately purchase what the student needs, without having to wait for a form to be filled out, or wait for approval. When a child has no shoes, or is hungry, they need help now. The NTEF makes sure that help happens.
A single mother of five was trying to move to Thurston County to escape a domestic violence situation in Pierce County. She was met with hurdle after hurdle – including a place taking her funding she had to jump through hopes to get in the first place, and then renting to someone else. She writes:
“When Deanna from the foundation found out the news, she reassured me everything would be ok. The next day she wrote new a new check and personally delivered it to my landlord. Without this funding my children would not have a place to live for Christmas. We wouldn’t be here to celebrate. I would like to thank everyone from the North Thurston Education Foundation. The [donors,] sponsors, volunteers, and everyone ever involved because of you, my kids have a warm and safe place to sleep at night again. Thank you so much. You’ve given me hope when I was hopeless, and I am forever grateful for all you have done for us.”
Navigators Help Students Facing Homelessness
North Thurston Public Schools has a Student Navigators Program that North Thurston Education Foundation partners with to provide funding for the students’ needs. “Navigators provide critical support to students experiencing homelessness through the district’s McKinney-Vento Homeless Liaison,” explains Deanna. “Funded by a grant, this program enables the district to employ dedicated staff who offer personalized assistance to McKinney-Vento students.”
Navigators help students with basic needs, track their progress towards graduation and help with post-secondary education applications. “They serve as mentors, fostering the skills and confidence needed for success in school,” adds Deanna. Each North Thurston Public School high school has its own Navigator. There is also a Navigator that helps families through the District’s Family and Youth Resource Center and one that assists students in the middle schools.
The Student Navigators Program works in close partnership with the North Thurston Education Foundation (NTEF) to meet the individual needs of students. NTEF plays a critical role by providing funding that allows liaisons and navigators to respond quickly to the unique challenges faced by homeless students. This partnership ensures that navigators have access to resources they might not otherwise be able to secure through standard funding.
With NTEF’s support, navigators are equipped with credit cards to purchase essential items or services immediately—whether it’s clothing, school supplies, transportation assistance, or program fees. For homeless students, this rapid response is crucial, as it ensures their needs are met without delays, helping them stay focused on their education and succeed in school.
This program was started in 2017 when NTPS saw that students who fall under the McKinney Vento federal law – meaning no permanent, stable housing – had a horrible graduation rate. “I think we were at, like 71% graduation rate,” share Deanna. “And so the grant was to find way to increase the graduation rate. And they’ve done that and surpassed what the state averages are.”
The North Thurston Education Foundation relies on grants and donations from individuals and businesses. To learn more, visit the North Thurston Education Foundation website.
