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Celebrate Diversity Fund - Collaborating for Change

Teamwork Helped Win Federal Grant For School District

 It is a dream of mine to help people feel safe and accepted for just who they are. I want to help make schools in our area a gentle, peaceful place for all children. - Lilli Trinchero The Community Foundation connected fundholder Lilli Trinchero with  Katherine Loudon, Washoe County School District head of counseling, equity and diversity to find ways to eliminate school bullying. 10 years later, this working relationship with the Community Foundation led to WCSD receiving a Federal grant of more than $4 million to create a safer environment for students.

"This funding will allow us to make a meaningful difference in the lives of so many of our students,” said Katherine Loudon, director of counseling, equity and diversity for WCSD. “It will help break a damaging and devastating cycle by providing intervention services for students who are affected by violence and substance use in their daily lives.”
The Community Foundation connected the WCSD with Community Matters, an educational consulting firm from Santa Rosa California to conduct a climate audit for schools and stakeholder workshop.  At the conclusion of the audit, evidence-based suggestions for the School District, school staff, students, families and the community were outlined in a written report published in January 2014. Including the audit report in the application, Katherine applied for a competitive Federal Grant. In September 2014  our community learned that WCSD was one of 21 school districts across the nation to receive the U.S. Department of Education Project Prevention grant, a five-year grant to help children who have been exposed to pervasive violence. More than 200 school districts applied for the funding, which will help support school climate improvement programs that combat bullying, violence, and substance use. Learn more about the grant here. Collaboration is the way the Community Foundation does business. Learn more about the Celebrate Diversity Fund and Lilli Trinchero's passion to fight bullying here.