Spring Branch ISD Featured News

Thousands of students in Spring Branch ISD (SBISD) had new school uniforms, backpacks, and school supplies on the first day of school Aug. 16, thanks to generous donations from partner organizations. 

While kindness and happy smiles cannot be measured in numbers, the contributions on this list, plus many more, helped students across the district get off to a strong start to the 2021-22 school year. 

Spring Branch Education Foundation (SBEF)

• Provided school supplies for 13,226 students at 18 schools, purchased with $64,673 raised through the SBEF fundraiser, grants and underwriting from partnering organizations
• “Having the right supplies unlocks opportunities,” said Cece Thompson, SBEF’s Executive Director. “Working with the community and staff, our goal is to remove barriers to learning.”

Memorial Assistance Ministries (MAM)

• Through donations from their member organizations, MAM distributed $50 Old Navy gift cards for school uniforms and clothing to 4,270 pre-K, elementary and middle school students in Spring Branch ISD.
• “For more than 30 years, the Back to School Program has provided families not only with new school uniforms but also the memories of shopping together as a family for new school clothes,” Joanie Wentz, Vice President of Development, said. “This experience helps provide hope to hardworking parents, while helping their child start off the year feeling confident and ready to learn.”

Assistance League of Houston’s Operation School Bell

• Has worked with SBISD for more than 20 years. This year, the organization provided $27,000 for 14 campuses to order uniforms and other clothing for students.
• “Operation School Bell®, the national philanthropic program of the Assistance League, provides more than a new wardrobe; we help empower young students to reach their full potential,” Operation School Bell co-chair and volunteer Stella Evensen said. “For some children, this will be the first time they have ever had new clothes of their own, and for the first time, they truly feel like they fit in with all the other kids.”

Chick-fil-A

• For the fifth year in a row, a ”Stuff the Bus” school supply drive was conducted at four Chick-fil-A locations in the Spring Branch area, netting more than 1,400 school supply items that were delivered to four SBISD schools.
• “The heroes of this project are our guests who rally together every year to provide this great amount of school supplies for these students,” Executive Marketing Director Sloane Pardue said. “If there's one thing we've seen each year, it's that the Spring Branch and Memorial community shows up to care for their own, without fail.”

Villa Del Sol Apartments 

• Hosted a back-to-school event for families and students who live in the 346-unit apartment complex and provided 40 backpacks and schools supplies
• “This is something that the owner of Villa Del Sol is happy to fund for his residents,” Villa del Sol manager Carina Monsivaiz said. “This year it probably meant a little relief since many people are financially stressed. It also meant that we appreciate our residents.”

Memorial Drive United Methodist Church

• Brought 150 bags of non-perishable food, paper goods and cleaning supplies for students and families at Hollibrook Elementary School
• “We are so happy to help Hollibrook,” Julie Eisenhauer, volunteer mentor coordinator for Memorial Drive United Methodist Church, said. “Since mentoring visits have not started yet, we are dedicated to helping however we can.”

Thank you to ALL members of the community whose Collective Greatness has helped so many students. We are #SBISDProud you are part of the Spring Branch ISD family.

We always need more Good Neighbors!

These generous organizations, and hundreds of others, annually participate in the Spring Branch ISD Good Neighbor program, which celebrates and recognizes organizations and individuals who do three or more things to the benefit of students or staff. If your group would like to be a Good Neighbor, contact partner@springbranchisd.com.