Preparing tomorrow's leaders, TODAY!

July, 2024

    The Somers Education Foundation is now 20 years old! It met the challenge made in 2014 to grow the endowment to $1,000,000. Endowment assets had to more than triple to reach this goal and…. they did! A host of people contributed to this success. This year, total assets increased 15.62% even after $61,069.95 in grants were awarded. This brings our grants total awarded since our founding to $711,565. SEF has had a total impact (grants + endowment market value) of $1,724,435 since our inception. For some perspective, in its first year SEF raised $14,000 and awarded $5,900 in grants.   

   The Geissler’s Receipt Program has been a mainstay of funding since 2007. SEF thanks the Nilsson Family every day for its incredible generosity.  

SEF has established a new partnership with the Hartsprings Program courtesy of Lee Mailhot.

   One of SEF’s founding tenets was to build a sustainable endowment to be able to award grants regardless of the economy and fundraising results. According to plan, the endowment was left to grow over the first ten years and first accessed in 2014-15. It is working exactly as envisioned.

 Years                         1-10                    11-20               % Increase

Avg Grants        $ 20,816                $50,340                    242%

Endowment     $310,000          $1,012,356                    326%

   The phrase “From tiny acorns do mighty oak trees grow,” could not be more relevant or appropriate for SEF’s successes.

   SEF’s goal is, in the words of its first President Lou Bachetti, to “think big,” grow the endowment, increase community awareness, and provide greater funding for educational opportunities for every student in the Somers Public School System.  

   Thank you for your generosity. This could not have happened without your trust and support. Now, let us see what SEF can accomplish over the next ten years!

Paul Salva, President 

and the SEF Board