Hood River County Education Foundation

Ticket Holder & Hood River County Schools Win Big at Toyota Raffle Drawing

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Juan R. won a brand new 2023 Toyota Corolla at the Hood River v. The Dalles Football Game

Celebrations were in order after the long-awaited Hood River vs. The Dalles football game earlier this month. The Hood River Valley Eagles bested their rivals, the Riverhawks, with a final score of 35-18. After the game, one lucky Hood River County resident drove away in a brand new 2023 Toyota Corolla from Columbia Gorge Toyota, and HRCEF and Hood River County schools announced that they raised a whopping $40,000 to support extracurricular activities in the district.

Juan R. from Odell, whose son plays for the HRV football team, purchased a $10 raffle ticket at his son’s game. His ticket purchase paid off when representatives from Columbia Gorge Toyota called his name during the drawing at halftime. We are sure that Juan’s family will enjoy attending future football games in their new car!

The Hood River County School District raised a combined $27,400 after volunteers from PTOs, sports teams, and school clubs worked hard to sell tickets in the community over the past year. Many HRVHS athletic teams sold tickets to raise money for new equipment, and the HRVHS Performing Arts department didn’t break a sweat (or a leg) while raising over $3,000 for their performances. Meanwhile, the Mid Valley Elementary School PTO and administration are excited to use their $4,500 in funding to help with efforts to purchase and install a new playground for their students.

The Hood River County Education Foundation also raised ~$12,400 for the Opportunity Fund. The HRCEF Opportunity Fund supports extracurricular activities in the Hood River County School District with a focus on our middle schools. For the past two years, the Opportunity Fund has sponsored an intramural Footsall league for Hood River and Wy’East middle school students. Previously, this fund covered medical screening and other ‘pay to play’ fees for all middle school sports.

Make a Donation to the Opportunity Fund

Thank you to Columbia Gorge Toyota, all HRCSD volunteers, and everyone who purchased a raffle ticket for supporting athletics, clubs, and other activities in our schools.

Did you miss out on this year’s raffle? HRCEF, HRCSD, and Columbia Gorge Toyota will be partnering up once again to raffle off a 2024 Toyota Corolla LE. Stay tuned!

Understanding Financial Aid: Expenses & Expected Family Contribution

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The estimated one year expenses listed on your financial aid offer are likely listed as “Cost of Attendance” and the Cost of Attendance could be a detailed section or a single line item on your financial aid letter. It’s critical to examine this section carefully and ask yourself, “What isn’t being included?” If the CoA section is detailed, the most common included items are tuition, fees, room, and board (for dorms). If the Cost of Attendance section isn’t detailed, we recommend looking on the college’s website as this information is publicly available.

But wait, there are other expenses to consider. Will you be living in a dorm, at home, or paying rent? Do you need to purchase a laptop or furniture? Will you be using public transportation or driving? How much will your textbooks cost each semester? What’s your monthly budget for groceries and takeout? It’s important to factor these costs into your Cost of Attendance. When building your spreadsheet, we recommend making a line for each of these costs. After all, paying for rent and public transportation in Portland is cheaper than doing the same in New York City — and there is no need to book a flight home from Portland.

The Expected Family Contribution number may look familiar. Colleges use the FAFSA (and sometimes CSS profile) to determine your EFC. The EFC listed on your aid offer is not necessarily what you are being asked to pay — this is simply the number that colleges use to determine your financial need and any need-based financial aid.

The Net Cost may not be included on your offer letter, but simply put: 

Net Cost = Cost of Attendance – Financial Aid (scholarships, grants, loans, etc.)

In short, the net cost is the amount of money you and your family are expected to pay for the year. If the net cost is included on your offer letter, remember to adjust it based on the additional estimated expenses discussed above.

More on Understanding Financial Aid

MATCH MET! COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund Matching Grant – Donations Requested

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Our spring 2020 donor match has been met! We are now fundraising to assist the HR County School District with distance learning expenses for the 20/21 school year.

With students and teachers now dependent on online instruction at least through the end of Fall 2020 semester, funds for books and supplies to send home to students, and improved WiFi capability, are greatly needed.  You can donate below, or send a check made payable to “HRCEF” to: COVID-19 Emergency Fund, Hood River County Education Foundation, 1011 Eugene St., Hood River, OR 97031. 

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1011 Eugene St.
Hood River, OR 97031
PH: (541) 387-5713
Email: ed.foundation@hoodriver.k12.or.us