Friends' Fund-A-Need
Helping Students Take Center Stage
Friends' Fund-a-Need
Helping Students Take Center Stage
Community Health and Education Foundation (CHEF) is excited to partner with Friends of Joe Michell School on this multi-year campaign to create a safe, modern, and inspiring performing arts space where Joe Michell students can shine.
To help accelerate progress, CHEF will match every donation at 50%.
That means every $100 donated becomes $150 toward this project.
Why this campaign matters
For decades, the Joe Michell stage has been a place where students step into the spotlight — performing in school productions, speaking at assemblies, and building confidence in front of their classmates and community.
But in fall 2023, the stage curtains — original to the 1960s — were literally falling apart, and the outdated lighting system was no longer functional. What should be a space for creativity and pride had become worn, unsafe, and unreliable.
What we’ve already accomplished
Thanks to the incredible generosity of our community, Friends of Joe Michell School has already invested more than $45,000 in stage improvements over the past two years.
These upgrades have already made a big difference — and students are benefiting now. But we still have one final phase to complete.
What’s left to complete
The remaining needs include:
Final phase of curtain updates: ~$15,000
Additional lighting upgrades: ~$13,000
Potential improvements to the sound system, paint, and other enhancements
Our 2026 fundraising goal is $15,000 to complete the final curtain phase.
Why performing arts matter for students
Performing arts programs help students build skills that last far beyond the stage, including:
Confidence and communication
Empathy and teamwork
Creativity and problem-solving
Social-emotional growth
They can also support academic success by strengthening reading comprehension, analytical thinking, and working memory.
Help us finish strong
Let’s keep the momentum going. With CHEF’s 50% match, every gift goes further — helping create a space where students feel proud, supported, and inspired every time they step on stage.
CHEF also covers all administrative and processing fees, so your donation — plus the match — goes directly to impact.
Friends' Fund-A-Need
campaign goal
$15,000
CHEF covers all administrative and processing fees so your entire donation is matched.