Our Mission
To bring life and learning opportunities to Edina Public Schools students who are economically disadvantaged.
Partnering with the Edina Public Schools, we provide opportunities in academics, arts and athletics.
Why We Exist
We believe in order to create a community committed to each student we must do the hard work to provide more than just basic needs for our students. As a mission aligned Edina Public Schools partner, we are positioned to support individual students in unique ways.
What’s Happening
03.09.2017 Edina Give and Go receives 2017 Edina Rotary Grant – as mentioned in Community Notes in Sun Current on March 9, 2017
11.2016 Edina Give and Go becomes mission aligned partner with Edina Public Schools
09.20.2016 Edina Give and Go partners with Junior Ryder Cup at Interlachen Golf Course
05.21.2016 MN ASID Home Showcase Tour benefits Edina Give and Go
07.25.2014 Nonprofit helps hundres of Edina students
Financials
Edina Give and Go is a 501(c)(3) organization. Our work to bring life and learning opportunities to Edina Public Schools students who are economically disadvantaged would be impossible without the commitment and generous support of donors. All gifts are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. We are committed to stewarding these funds to make the greatest impact possible in our community. Our Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 47-5031672.
Edina Give and Go Financial Reports
The Board
Meg Rodriguez
Founder, Board Chair
Meg’s passion for education initiatives and community development has led her to hold several positions at various school and community organizations. Meg currently serves on the College Possible Twin Cities Board while also having previously served as Co-Chair of the Board of the Edina Education Fund. Prior to her work as a Community Volunteer, Meg worked at IBM Corporation as a Marketing Representative and Coordinator of Multi-Media Sales. Originally from Westfield, New Jersey, Meg earned a B.A in Economics and Business from Lafayette College where she still serves as an Alumni Admissions Representative. Meg and her husband, Tony, have four children and live in Edina, MN.
Cathy Cella
Co-Vice Chair
Cathy joins the Edina Give and Go Board with a unique level of experience with Edina Public Schools. For many years, Cathy served as a well-respected and valuable representative on the Edina Board of Education. She bring a particular passion for supporting Edina students to the Edina Give and Go Board. Cathy earned her JD at the University of Minnesota and is an attorney with experience in litigation, employment, insurance and mediation. As an active community member and Edina resident of 30 years, Cathy has been engaged in many community wide organizations and initiatives, including the League of Women Voters of Edina (former voter service chair and board member), St. Stephen’s Church and Meals on Wheels. Cathy is the mother of 4 grown children and lives in Edina with her husband, John Ellingboe.
Ann Schulze
Co-Vice Chair
Ann Schulze is an active volunteer in the community and is honored to be a part of Edina Give and Go. She has been active in the STRIVE (Students Taking a Renewed Interest in the Value of Education) and Access programs at Edina High School over the last four years and was a founder and former Board Chair of the Jabbok Foundation in Minneapolis. In February 2013, Ann was recognized by the Edina Community Foundation and Connecting with Kids as a recipient of a Community Leadership Award for her volunteer work with Edina youth. She also served as a member of the District Equity Advisory Committee. Ann has 3 daughters who graduated from Edina High School. Ann is hoping to bring equitable experiences to all Edina School students. She currently lives in Edina with her husband, Mark.
Idith Almog
Founder
Idith Almog served as a Board Member for the Edina Public Schools from 1992 to 2000 and from 2006 through 2013. Idith has been involved with the Edina Education Fund from its inception, served as Board chair and is currently an Ex Officio member of the organization. Idith is passionate about education and about opportunities for all students. Running the yearly Internet Cowboys Un-Conference (ICUC) in Jackson Hole, WY, has enabled Idith to become familiar with innovations in various areas, and she believes in crowd-sourcing as a great vehicle for social change.
Dario Anselmo
Dario Anselmo and his wife, Jeanne, are Edina residents and have three children who are students in the Edina Public School system. Dario has been a small business operator for over 30 years in both Edina and Minneapolis and has long believed that a strong public education system is the key to a good economy and a well-functioning democracy. Dario sees great value in helping people at all levels, especially those who are in a more challenging economic station of life, and sees Edina Give and Go’s mission as an excellent way to help strengthen the community. In addition to the work Dario is doing on behalf of Edina Give and Go as a Board Member, he has also served a four-year term on the Board of the Edina Education Fund.
Julie Baker
Julie serves on the Greater Twin Cities United Way (GTCUW) Board of Directors, chairing its Community Impact Committee and sitting on its Executive Committee. She serves on the Board of Directors for Way to Grow, an agency that works to ensure that young children in Minneapolis’ most isolated families are healthy and ready for school. She also serves as an Access volunteer at Edina High School.
“Edina has been a wonderful place for our children to grow up. But as a volunteer in the schools, I have seen the difficulties children from low-income families face as they try to take advantage of the opportunities Edina and our schools have to offer. Fees, transportation, and access to technology can be real barriers. Edina Give and Go makes it easy for each of us to reach out and help these children in small but meaningful ways. I am excited to be part of an organization that is pioneering a new way for Edina to help all its children succeed.”
Julie is married with three grown children, all of whom attended Edina schools.
Jon Good
Jon is an alumnus of Edina-West High School and has lived in Edina for a total of twenty years. He and his wife Peggy have two college-age daughters, both of whom received their entire K-12 education in the Edina Public School system. Jon currently serves with International Justice Mission, a global humanitarian organization that seeks to protect the poor from violence in the developing world. Jon formerly served with Habitat for Humanity, World Vision, and was an associate pastor at Christ Presbyterian Church in Edina. He has volunteered extensively in Edina as a guest speaker in the public schools, a coach for girls’ athletics, and as a board member of Edina Athletic Boosters and Edina Basketball Association. He also volunteers as Edina’s Fire Chaplain. Jon serves as a Board member because he strongly believes in Edina Give and Go’s mission of allowing every child in Edina an opportunity to thrive. He also believes that Edina Give and Go is uniquely positioned to help Edina residents share their time, talents, and treasure in ways that can be life-changing – not only for students and their families, but also for those who take the time to invest themselves in the lives of our community’s students.
Ruchita Jain
Student Board Member
Ruchita is currently a senior at Edina High School. She has spent a great deal of her time volunteering at various Edina organizations, such as CREW at Cornelia and Saturday School. Ruchita also volunteers with Habitat for Humanity, Backpack Tutors, and she is a member of the Edina Bee Club, UNICEF and American Red Cross. Other than volunteer work, Ruchita is part of the Edina Model UN team, where she serves on the EMUNC leadership team. She also dances for the Nrityalaya Dance Academy, plays the violin and is a synchronized swimmer for Edina. Ruchita is also the Orchestra Vice President and a French Club Officer. She is a two time state qualifier and regional honorable mention recipient for the Minnesota History Day Competition.
Carolyn Leslie
Carolyn recently joined Edina Give and Go as a board member and is working on the marketing committee. She has a passion for non-profits and enjoys getting involved in smaller organizations where she can have an impact Her volunteer roles in the community include: Board member of Wooddale Community Nursery school, volunteer at Concord Elementary, Chair of The Blake Middle School Parent Association, and Volunteer with The United Way Women’s Council. She and her husband Bruce have lived in the community for over 20 years and have three children.
Gerry Lukaska
Gerry has been entrenched in Edina since moving to the community in 1977 to raiser her family in a community that values exceptional educational opportunities. In addition to raising two children and participating in the community for 37 years Gerry taught French at Blake before becoming a French Immersion teacher at Normandale Elementary in 1995. She began her career in administration as Dean of Students at Valley View Middle School in 2002. From there she became principal of a K-8 French immersion school in Kansas City, MO. She returned to the community to become principal of Park Spanish Immersion in St. Louis Park and finally cap her career as principal of Normandale Elementary School in July 2014.
Kathleen MacLennan
Kathleen’s motivation for volunteering at Edina Give and Go is based on many years of involvement with the STRIVE and Access programs at Edina High School. She observed a significant population of student son the sidelines, unable to participate in the academics, arts and athletic enriching experiences. She also serves as a board member or trustee for Trinity College; Hartford, Connecticut, College Possible Twin Cities,; Twin Cities Rise and Minneapolis Foundation, Donor Advised Fund Advisory Committee. Kathleen has been honored by the Edina Community Foundation and Connecting with Kids with a Community Leadership Award for her volunteer work with Edina Youth. She obtained her B.A. from Amherst College and her J.D. from Loyola University of Chicago School of Law.
Mary Manderfeld
Ex Officio
Mary is the Director of Equity and Enrollment for Edina Public Schools. As such, she oversees the District Achievement and Integration Plan, is the district AVID director, and oversees the Title I and II programs and budget. She has been working for the district since 1987, and has held many positions during her tenure including Physical Education Teacher, Assistant Principal of Edina High School, and various positions in district administration. Mary holds her bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and Coaching from the University of Minnesota. She received her master’s in Athletic Administration from St. Thomas College, and her Educational Specialist Elementary and Secondary Principal Licensure from the University of St. Thomas. Mary is the proud mother of two girls, one who has graduated and one still attending Edina Public Schools. Mary’s contribution to the Edina Give and Go Board is critical as she is the primary liaison to the Edina Public School District, helping to ensure collaboration and alignment between both organizations.
Janet Marple
Treasurer
Janet joined Edina Give and Go as the interim Treasurer in Oct. 2016. She is passionate about raising kids and ensuring access to all educational and extracurricular aspects of a students’ life. She has served in numerous capacities within the Edina Public Schools including as a PTO member at Concord Elementary and on the Board of Edina Education Fund both as Treasurer and Co-Chair. Janet and her husband, David, have lived in the community for over 15 years and has two teenage boys (one in college and one in Edina High School).
Jane Oberrender
Secretary
Jane is active community volunteer who currently volunteers as a mentor in the EHS Access Program and loves working with students on post-secondary planning. Prior to Edina Give and Go, Jane served as an advisor and consultant to a variety of not-for-profit organizations, advising these organization on their strategic vision and mission, organization design and fundraising strategies. Jane is interested in assisting organizations whose missions focus on serving under-resourced youth and families in the community. In addition to her work with Give and Go, Jane currently co-chairs the Middlebury College Parents Committee and is a participant in the President’s Leadership Summit. Jane graduated from Georgetown University and remains active with Georgetown as an alumni interviewer. She and her husband have three grown sons and reside in Edina.
John Romanow
John was a partner with Accenture in the Communications, Media & Technology industry group working with both start-ups and Fortune 100 companies. He retired in 2010 and has spent the past five years supporting various charities and consulting in the communications industry. He graduated from Syracuse University with a B.S. in Marketing and Logistics Management, and an M.B.A. His wife, Donna, and their three children live in Edina.
Sage Shukla
Student Board Member
Sage is a senior at Edina High School and serves as a student board member. He is also an active volunteer with Unicef, BackPack Tutors and Saturday School. In addition, he helped found MD Junior a 501c(3) nonprofit. Aside from these activities, Sage plays rugby for the Edina Rugby Club and football for EHS. Sage was born in India and recently immigrated to the United States with his family. Since arriving in the U.S., Sage has benefited from great mentors and parents who have helped him along the way. Because he knows it’s hard to compete in the overwhelming race of life when one has a late start, he wants to help bridge that very gap in their “race.”
Teri Velner
Teri Velner stays busy raising her four children all of whom attend Edina Public Schools. She is very active within the school district and the array of activities in which her children are involved. Teri has an extensive background in public affairs and public policy at the local, state and federal levels. Teri enjoys the outdoors with her husband and children and two dogs as much as she can.
Passionate about Give and Go’s mission, Teri believes all students should have the opportunity and access to the incredible academic and enrichment experiences Edina Public Schools offers. It’s a reflection of a strong community.
Andy Wolfe
Andy is presently the Platform Specialist at Push Interactive. He serves on the Frey Foundation Board as a Director. Andy graduated from EHS in 2008. Social justice has always been his passion and he wants to work to make sure that all students have the same kind of rewarding experience that he enjoyed at Edina Public Schools
The Team
Abigail Lugo
Executive Director
Abigail has served as Edina Give and Go Executive Director since June of 2015, bringing a great deal of experience in business and education to the position. She earned her Bachelor of Arts: mass Communications Major with an emphasis on Advertising at the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire, and spent a few years in advertising sales. She then found that her true passion was working with youth, so she returned to school to earn her Masters of Education: Business and Industry Education: Business and Marketing Education at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. She’s taught business classes in both Minnesota and Mexico. Currently, in addition to her responsibilities as Executive Director, she serves as the Access Coordinator at Edina High School. She is passionate about helping Edina students who are economically disadvantaged.
Julie Swoap
Communications And Program Assistant
Julie Swoap has been an active volunteer in Edina Public Schools for the last 14 years serving in many capacities including PTO Co-President at Normandale Elementary School and Parent Volunteer Coordinator for Valley View Middle School Theater. She is the proud mother of 3 girls who have all attended Edina Public Schools (one has moved on to college and the other two are at the high school). Julie enjoys working for Edina Give and Go behind the scenes to help all Edina students enjoy the lite and learning opportunities the district offers.