Do Good Work That Matters: The Miracle at 230 Jones

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Apr 29, 2011 Do Good Work That Matters: The Miracle at 230 Jones

For the past few months I have had the opportunity to work with the good people of the San Francisco City Academy, a small school located in the Tenderloin District of San Francisco. Locals know the Tenderloin mainly as a place to avoid, with drug deals, crime, and poverty on every corner. I have spent more time in the Tenderloin in the past few months than in my twenty years of living here, and with the help of the City Academy kids and staff, I now see beyond the grit.

Here’s a little backstory:

The San Francisco City Academy, a private K-8 school serving the children of the Tenderloin, was on the brink of closing due to serious issues with building safety codes and virtually no funds to support a costly renovation. Here’s where the Miracle at 230 Jones begins, with countless volunteers, private donors, and corporations coming forth with the $1.4M in funds, materials, and volunteer hours needed to keep the small school alive. Our client Chevron not only made a substantial contribution, they encouraged the school founders to pause, reflect, and celebrate the success of the Build A Classroom, Build a Future campaign. They engaged our firm to work with the school to create an event celebrating and thanking their supporters. There were no corporate banners or logos at the event. It was a heartfelt thank you with local merchants like Show Dogs serving up lunch and kids greeting you with a handshake at the door. What I loved most about this project was the opportunity to step out of my comfort zone, not only in the neighborhood, but to really listen, observe the diverse community in order to help create a celebration that was befitting to the school community. It’s easy to make quick judgments and resort to what’s familiar. I was grateful for and enriched by the experience and from all accounts the children and staff of the school felt the same way.

Wilsonwest is committed to continued support of SFCA by helping to sponsor a student. If you’d like to consider helping us by making a small donation, give me shout. After the jump, watch this 1 minute video and learn a little about the school.

Our company mission is simple: Do Good Work That Matters

Thank you Chevron and the San Francisco City Academy for the opportunity to be part of the Miracle at 230 Jones.

Cindy Wilson