The Importance of the Foundation

EWAEF will ensure the perpetuity of a quality arts program in the District by:

  • Introducing new friends and supporters to the District and helping to nurture those relationships
  • Actively raising funds and assuring the community that all funds raised by EWAEF will be provided to the EWCSD and designated for the Arts4AII program
  • Developing a healthy conduit between the District and the greater community in encouraging active relationships among our stakeholders: students, staff, parents, the Whittier business community, and the residents of our community
  • Bringing together professionals in the community and students from the schools so that collaborative relationships may be formed and students will have the opportunity to explore higher levels of expertise in the arts
  • Providing support for District teachers and specialists so that every student will have the opportunity to experience the arts

Guiding Principles of the Foundation

  1. All decisions will support the Mission of the Foundation and all funds raised will be for the specific purpose of supporting the Arts4AII program of the EWCSD.
  2. The Foundation will be responsible for the raising and investment of funds.
  3. Short-term initiatives will be funded from annual fundraisers and investments.
  4. The Foundation will support select extraordinary fundraising initiatives which fall beyond the scope of the annual fundraising event(s), including but not limited to endowments and planned giving.
  5. The Foundation will provide leadership for initiatives that are for the benefit of EWAEF.
  6. In addition to direct contributions, the Foundation will use the ‘mini-grants’ format to support the Arts4AII program of the District.
  7. There will be accountability by the individual or group that requests financial support from the Foundation, for example:
    1. Requests for support will use fact-based data (e.g., benchmarks) to justify the value/benefit of the request.
    2. The requester is expected to document and demonstrate the benefits of said request upon completion.
  8. The Foundation will, team with District leadership to determine the priority of various initiatives. Specifically, they will conduct an annual review of initiatives and priorities to help achieve the Vision and will include a strength/weakness assessment, benchmark analysis, and matrix for objective evaluations.
  9. The Foundation will be accountable to the East Whittier City School District; specifically it will compile and summarize the benefits of funded initiatives and report their findings back to the school board to ensure transparency and accountability.

Purpose

The East Whittier Arts Foundation is established to increase community support for arts education in the thirteen schools of the East Whittier City School District.

EWAEF is a community-based, nonprofit organization supporting the mission and goals of the EWCSD. It develops and nurtures community partnerships, financial resources and educational and vocational opportunities to benefit students while encouraging greater involvement from the community in support of the arts education in music, theatre, dance, and visual arts, including digital technology – in our schools.

Board of Directors

Sal Failla President

Sal Failla is a longtime Whittier resident. He has a BA in Physical Education from California State University Dominguez Hills and a MA in Public Administration from California State University Long Beach. Mr. Failla was the Director of community Services for the City of Whittier from 1990 to 2001, moving to the City of La Habra in the same capacity, where he still serves. Mr. Failla also serves as a professional football game official.

Rose Bustamante

Vice President

Maria Espinoza

Treasurer

Patty Dunn

Secretary

Virginia (Ginny) Ball

Paul Gardiner

Victoria Jacobs

Janine Stone

Bonnie Vincent

Advisory Board

Sherry Barber

Dorothy Fagan

Stu Gothold

Lou Grimaldi

Bob Haendiges

David Krake

Sue Langan

Joan Meister

Margie Montelongo

Jim Pigott

Ruth B. Shannon

Ron Sill

Phillip Roa

Melinda Sullivan

Joe Vinatieri

Jan Lopez Wood