“With every dollar that we raise, the Arlene Schnitzer Care Foundation will match it with 10 of theirs, so if we raise $10, they give us $100,” Tualatin High School’s CommuniCare club president Kayla Smith stated. 

CommuniCare is a program that offers students the chance to learn about the granting process and contribute back to the community. It was founded by the Arlene Schnitzer Care Foundation, and they aim to support educational activities and community activities. 

TuHS has its own CommuniCare club, which Smith and other students together help run. They support the club’s fundraising efforts with matching funds. 

“The Arlene Schnitzer Care Foundation also starts our donating budget off with $7,500 to begin with so we can make an impact in the community even if our fundraisers fail,” Smith added.

The CommuniCare club hosts fundraisers and donates the money they raise to nonprofit organizations. Organizations apply for a grant, and the CommuniCare club decides where to contribute their money. Their granting process starts with creating a mission statement that centers on a widespread issue in the community.

They fundraise by hosting events such as the Holiday Craft Night at TuHS in December of last year. 

“We will be donating $21,700 this year (we had some money in accounts from last year that we plan to spend) and we are planning on giving away $5,000 to school grants that we will open up applications for soon,” Smith shared.

Having above $21,000 to donate, CommuniCare plans to give back to nonprofit organizations that distribute food to families in need. Staff, teachers, and other clubs could apply for grants. CommuniCare’s main focus is to also give back to communities of color and single mothers.