Parent Day of Giving 2025

The final numbers are in, and the results are incredible: Together, we reached 70% parent participation in The Sidwell Friends Fund, the Lower School reached 80%, and new parent participation reached 91%!

Our challenge donors were so moved by the community’s spirit that they contributed the full $50,000 in honor of your collective support, and together we unlocked all three divisional challenges — adding a total of $65,000 for our students and faculty. 

Every dollar you gave—and every dollar that was matched—is already at work, powering essential programs for our students and faculty.

From all of us, thank you for coming together, for giving, and for showing what’s possible when one community unites around one goal.

Yesterday, an internet hiccup tried to slow us down — but our parent community didn’t miss a beat.

Thanks to your persistence and generosity, we’re now only 79 donors away from reaching 80% participation and unlocking the $50,000 challenge gift.

The deadline is officially extended to noon today!

There is still time to be counted.

Be one of the final 79.

We’re so grateful for our community’s incredible generosity! Only a few hours remain, and we’re close to reaching our goal of 80 percent parent participation.

Your support doesn’t just fund classrooms; it fuels creativity and confidence. Last year, more than 150 students across all divisions took part in theatrical productions and explored the arts through trips to the GALA Theatre and the Kennedy Center.

Gifts to The Sidwell Friends Fund make opportunities like these possible, enriching every student’s learning and growth. Give today and help us finish strong!

Last year, your gifts to The Sidwell Friends Fund helped students learn to lead with integrity and purpose.

We celebrated success on the field with highlights like Boys Track & Field winning the DCSAA championships and setting new records, and Girls Lacrosse bringing home the ISL banner. And beyond the trophies, your support made deep growth possible. Ninth graders engaged in local service with organizations including A Wider Circle and Rock Creek Conservancy, while a group of Upper School students gained hands-on advocacy experience at the Friends Committee on National Legislation’s Spring Lobby Week.

Your donation today helps Sidwell students continue to grow as compassionate and capable leaders in the classroom, in the community, and in the world. 💛

A gift of $100 provides two full class sets of early literacy texts for our Kindergarten students. 📚👶

A gift of $300 allows the Upper School student government to build community by holding a division-wide outdoor volleyball tournament. 

A gift of $600 provides transportation for 7th and 8th graders to volunteer  with organizations like DC Central Kitchen and Bread for the City. 🚌🍎

A gift of $1,883 allows two faculty members to attend the Quaker Leadership Workshop at Pendle Hill. 📖💡

A gift of $10,000 provides curriculum design training for the entire Lower School faculty. 

A gift of $25,000 provides Upper School students with access to subscription-based academic databases, including JSTOR, Newsbank, and ProQuest, to support independent research.

Last year, your gifts to The Sidwell Friends Fund helped make Washington, D.C. an extension of our classrooms. 

From Lower Schoolers exploring American democracy at the National Museum of American History and the Maryland State House to Middle Schoolers conducting water quality testing on the Anacostia River, and Upper Schoolers visiting the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the National Museum of Asian Art, your gift ensures that Sidwell students experience education beyond the classroom.

We need your help to unlock these exciting new challenge gifts!

Be one of 75 people to help unlock the $5,000 Lower School Parent Challenge.

Be one of 75 people to help unlock the $5,000 Middle School Parent Challenge.

Or be one of 75 people to help unlock the $5,000 Upper School Parent Challenge.

Your gift will make a difference!

The day is finally here, and we couldn't be more excited! Our goal today is 80% parent participation, and every gift, no matter the size, gets us closer.

A heartfelt thank you to our incredible early donors, volunteers, and advocates for their unwavering support and leadership! Let’s keep the momentum going by sharing this campaign with your network and helping us spread the word. Together, we can make this year’s Parent Day of Giving a huge success!