The Annual Giving Campaign Is Here!
When our children describe their day at Carthay, they don’t talk about funding sources or school budgets.
They talk about planting seeds in the garden. Cooking something they grew themselves. Finally understanding a book with help from a reading tutor. Building something in the MakerSpace. Dancing, making music, playing with friends, and feeling like they belong.
These experiences may feel like a natural part of a Carthay education, but many of them are not fully funded by LAUSD. They happen because our community chooses to make them happen.
Through the PTA Annual Giving Campaign, Carthay families, friends, and community members collectively fund the programs, people, and experiences that give our children a more creative, active, supported, and connected school day.
This Year’s Goal
The PTA has budgeted $133,000 to support student programs, classrooms, and community experiences during the 2026–27 school year. Our goal is to raise $90,000 through family donations and employer matching gifts—approximately two-thirds of that investment.
That money will provide:
$43,500 for Carthay’s Garden, including garden science and cooking classes for every student, plus garden and chicken, quail, and duck care
$39,400 for classrooms and community, including PE and recess support, classroom supplies, and beloved community events including Community Night, Spooktacular, the Holiday Maker’s Faire, Winter Dance, the Scholastic Book Fair, Talent Show, and more
$47,100 for learning and enrichment, including Reading Partners tutoring, MakerSpace arts, crafts and engineering, STEAM programming, Gifted and Talented programming, and orchestra scholarships
$3,000 for PTA operations and printing
These aren’t abstract budget lines, they represent real hours spent helping children learn to read, move their bodies, take creative risks, discover new interests, and build relationships with one another.
Every Family Can Be Part of It
Every student benefits from PTA-supported programs, regardless of whether or how much their family gives.
There is no required donation amount, give what is meaningful and manageable for your family—whether that is $5, $144 for the year, a monthly donation, or a larger gift. Families who are able to contribute above the suggested amount help close the gap for our entire school community. That collective support allows us to keep these experiences available to every child.
Contribute to the Giving Competition by October 2
The class competition is about participation, not dollars raised:
50% class participation: Pajama Day or Free Dress Day
100% class participation: Popcorn and a Movie or an Ice Cream Party
📈 Check your student’s class progress here
Students credited with raising at least $144 for the year (or $12 per month) will also qualify to throw water balloons at Mr. Garrison during Field Day on the last day of school (one of the most highly-anticipated moments of the year for many students!)
The first $50 raised by each fifth-grade student will support fifth-grade culmination activities.
Three Easy Ways to Give
Donate online through Zeffy
You can make a one-time or recurring donation and will receive a tax receipt by email. Please include your student’s name and select their teacher so the class receives participation credit. If you have children in multiple classes, select every applicable teacher.
Donate through Zelle
Send your donation to carthaypta@gmail.com and include your student’s name and teacher in the payment description.
Donate by cash or check
Place your donation in a sealed envelope marked “PTA Annual Giving.” Include your student’s name and teacher and deliver it to the Carthay front office. Make checks payable to Carthay ESM PTA.
Double (or Triple!) Your Impact
Many employers match charitable donations. After donating, search for “Carthay Parent Teacher Association” in your employer’s matching-gift portal or ask your Human Resources department. This simple step could double or triple the support Carthay receives without increasing your personal contribution.
Grandparents, relatives, neighbors, alumni, and family friends can also donate or help fundraise. Ask them to include your student’s name and teacher so their gift counts toward class participation.
Your Donations Made This Possible Last Year
Because Carthay families raised $114,000 last year, our students received:
198 Seed to Table garden classes
184 hours of hands-on garden and cooking instruction
Individual reading support for 57 students, twice a week, all year
152 days of PE classes and recess support
Orchestra scholarships for 10 students
Gifted and Talented programming
Sensory enrichment materials in every classroom
Community events including Community Night, Spooktacular, the Holiday Maker’s Faire, Winter Dance, Talent Show, and more
And 100% of Carthay teachers reported that their students were always excited for garden and cooking classes.
That is what Annual Giving looks like in a child’s school day.
Together, we can give every Carthay student more opportunities to learn, create, move, connect, and thrive.
Questions? Contact Carrie Lemmon, Annual Giving Chair, at CarthayGiving@gmail.com.
