‘Angel Fund’ ensures every child can focus on learning
M.K. French
Farmer Staff Writer
Sometimes, the simplest things-a warm coat on a freezing day, a good breakfast before a big test-make the biggest difference in a child’s life. That’s the heart behind the Angel Fund, a special initiative launched by the McKenzie County Public School District No. 1 (MCPSD1) in March 2024. It’s a system built on one beautiful idea: no student’s journey should be stopped by a simple lack of resources.
The fund was the brainchild of District Superintendent Dr. Steven Holen, who witnessed the incredible generosity of the community firsthand. For years, neighbors and businesses had reached out, wanting to donate funds to help students, but the logistics were often complicated.
“The Angel Fund was established... after a series of very generous donations were made to the school district to assist students in need,” explained Dr. Holen. “The Angel Fund was an idea...which would allow for an easier process for donations to be targeted and ensure the funds will be used for students in an identified need.”
The fund’s mission is to be a quick, flexible source of aid, managed by the school’s trusted resource staff. Its most visible, heartwarming impact can be seen every Monday and Friday morning. “The most impactful use of the Angel Fund to date has been the support of free breakfast meals at all our buildings,” Dr. Holen shared. What started as free breakfast once a week last year has expanded to two days this school year. “Breakfast is an important meal for our students, especially those in need...the free meals have helped families with cost and ensure students are ready for their school day,” he said. This initiative is a quiet promise to every child: You won’t learn on an empty stomach here.
Behind the scenes, the real magic of the Angel Fund happens through the school’s resource team, including guidance counselors, nurses, and the family facilitator who identify students in need, ensuring help is delivered discreetly and respectfully, explained Haylee Redfield, Communications Coordinator for MCPSD1.
Ms. Redfield has seen the fund personnel step in to handle personal crises that standard school budgets can’t cover. Whether it’s providing new eyeglasses so a student can clearly read the whiteboard, securing a sturdy winter coat when temperatures plunge, or helping a high school student who is newly emancipated and struggling to find footing, the Angel Fund closes the financial “gap.”
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