Foundation rebrands to reflect mission for Fresno Unified students

One of the Valley’s top foundations is rebranding to better reflect its focus on helping students.

The Foundation for Fresno Unified Schools has rebranded to the Foundation for Fresno Unified Students . While some school district foundations are often considered the fundraising arm for their districts, with significant resources spent on support the districts administration, faculty and stuff — the Foundation for Fresno Unified Students is different, focused on support for student initiatives and experiences, including scholarships, suit drives and more.

“Leading this Foundation is an honor, especially as we collaborate with Fresno Unified and our community to uplift our students,” says Wendy R. McCulley, the Foundation’s executive director. “While our name is changing, our dedication to the students and the District remains focused. This foundation’s entrepreneurial spirit is aimed at driving us to forge new pathways and shape a brighter future for the next generation.”

In the past year, the Foundation for Fresno Unified Students distributed more than $400,000 in student scholarships in Fresno Unified and collected more than 5,000 items for a suit drive to help graduating seniors look their best as they pursue internships, jobs and collegiate opportunities.

Other partnerships explore student mental health and forecast tech education needs for the future.

The Foundation for Fresno Unified Students has also released details about its 2024 fundraiser that will include entertainment from a Grammy-nominated musical group.

Scheduled at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 16 at Warnors Theatre, the Noir event will feature Black Violin, an orchestral duo featuring Black violinists Wil Baptiste and Kev Marcus.

The music of Black Violin is also used by Fresno Unified education for cultural proficiency training, according to a news release.

This year, the Foundation opted to transform the gala with this performance to offer a different experience for students, donors, and those new to the Foundation, according to the release.

Tickets start at $49 and can be purchased at Ticketmaster . The Foundation is also seeking sponsors to help allow FUSD’s orchestra students to attend as guests, free of charge. If you’re interested in sponsoring the event, please send an email .

With assets of $21 million, the Foundation for Fresno Unified Students ranked No. 5 on The Business Journal’s list of Foundations published in the July 5 edition of the paper .