The Foundation for Fresno Unified Schools seeks donations of clean, gently used business attire including suits, shirts, skirts and dresses, ties and other professional wear. Photo by Phạm Duy Quang on unsplash.com

A one-time grant of $35,000 has been gifted to the Foundation for Fresno Unified Schools from the Kashian Family Foundation.  A portion of the grant will be used to expand the annual suit drive and Suited for Success shopping event. 

This year, the Foundation for Fresno Unified Schools collected 5,000 items of clothing, significantly surpassing last year’s total of 2,000 items. Juniors and seniors were able to shop for free at the first Suited for Success event at McLane High School. 

The remaining clothing items were distributed to clothes closets in all FUSD high schools.

 “Through the hard work of the Foundation for Fresno Unified Schools, our juniors and seniors will continue to have the opportunity to select professional attire that will give them confidence as they go to interviews and prepare for their next steps after high school. We are also grateful to the foundation for their support of our students in foster care and homeless situations,” said Interim Superintendent Misty Her in a news release.

The rest of the grant will provide scholarships for five graduating seniors who are part of Fresno Unified’s Project ACCESS. Project ACCESS provides support to foster and homeless youth to help them to become college and career-ready graduates. The funds will help support these students in taking the next steps in their educational journey.

“Through the grant awarded by the Kashian Family Foundation, we will be able to continue to expand our annual suit drive and Suited for Success shopping event and provide more students with professional attire for their college and career journey. The funds that are designated for scholarships will be a welcome resource for our students who are living in some of the most challenging situations,” said Wendy McCulley, executive director of the Foundation for Fresno Unified Schools.

Late last year, the Kashian family donated $5 million to support medical education at UC Merced.  They have supported the campus since its earliest days, and their gift to the university will help advance medical education efforts.