Foundation For Vancouver Public Schools Receives $5 Million Gift From Edstrom/Lamberton Family (Photo) -02/28/22

Vancouver, WA (February 28, 2022) – The Foundation for Vancouver Public Schools today announced a $5 million bequest from the estate of Pamela N. Edstrom and Joseph D. Lamberton, Vancouver, Washington, residents.

This Edstrom/Lamberton donation is the largest single gift in Foundation history and will support Vancouver Public Schools students by removing poverty-related barriers; enhancing learning and instruction; and providing engagement, enrichment and mentoring opportunities.

“Their extraordinary investment in our community reinforces the transformational power of education to change lives.” said Nada Wheelock, executive director of the Foundation. “Pam Edstrom and Joe Lamberton’s gift will provide direct support to Vancouver students and VPS programs for generations to come.”

For more than two decades, Pam and Joe have supported VPS students. “They believed in the power of a community to lift others,” said Wheelock. “When a neighbor talked about children at a school down the street without winter coats, Joe said, ‘These are our neighbors, too,’ and the next day he dropped off a check so the principal could buy coats for students in need.” Pam and Joe gave quietly behind the scenes.

Joe Lamberton was especially compassionate for English-language learners and children facing difficult challenges through no fault of their own. “He wanted students and families to feel welcome and connected to school, and he always asked, ‘How can we REALLY help children in poverty? How can we have a bigger impact on more children?’” said Wheelock.

Early intervention and learning support helped Pam and Joe’s grandchildren, and they wanted to help others. They invested in the youngest children to generate the biggest long-term benefit. With the donors’ vision and partnership, VPS launched an evening preschool program to narrow the learning gap that exists between students with socioeconomic advantages and those affected by poverty.

Pam and Joe were champions for children and cared deeply about their future. The Vancouver Public Schools board of directors recently named the Pam Edstrom and Joe Lamberton Early Childhood Evaluation Center in honor of their significant philanthropy and support of the district’s commitment to high-quality teaching and learning.

The Foundation for Vancouver Public Schools is an independent, 501(c)3 educational non-profit corporation established in 1988 to support VPS students.

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