Pollock Arts Initiative Year-End Matching Gift Campaign

Help us nurture even more arts students next year!

Together, this school year, we turned donations into creative transformations. We are pleased to provide this year-end report for the PAI, a fund managed by the Achieve Foundation of South Orange & Maplewood. Thank you to each donor--every dollar given helped unlock creativity, confidence, and opportunity for students across our district—and here’s exactly how:

MUSIC:

$6,445.00 – Music lessons for teacher-nominated students (July 1, 2024 – April 30, 2025)

$3,964.37 – Columbia High School Music Department: Grant for mouthpieces (October 2024)

$7,695.00 – Districtwide instrument rentals for students in need (2024-25 school year)

$900.00 – Music technology camp scholarship for teacher-nominated student (March 2025)

$541.04 – Materials for CHS Musical Instrument Repair Club (March 2025)

VISUAL ARTS:

$2,500.00 – Columbia High School Art Dept Grant: Ceramics Pugmill (October 2024)

$1,666.63 – Columbia High School Photography Grant: Medium Format Cameras (November 2024)

$1,675.00 – Photography equipment and classes for teacher-nominated students (March 2025)

Totals & Goals

Total Funded (as of April 30, 2025):  $25,387.04

Annual Fundraising Goal:  $30,000

This detailed breakdown reflects not only fiscal responsibility but deep community impact. Every lesson, every grant, every repaired instrument and camera purchase represents a student who felt seen, supported, and empowered.  We’re proud to fund arts access in ways that are personal and practical—and we’re only able to do that because of you.

Want to help us say YES to even more student artists next year?
Donate today to fund the dreams of our future musicians, photographers, and artists. PAI founders Vanessa and Charlie Pollock will match dollar-for-dollar every donation made between now and the last day of school this year, up to $5,000. 

Please help us hit our goal of raising another $10,000, one-third of our annual fundraising goal, so we can enter next year saying YES to even more students from the very beginning! We are truly grateful for your support!