We believe families make San Francisco stronger and more vibrant.
MISSION
We are committed to helping create a stronger, more vibrant San Francisco by ensuring that Potrero families from a diversity of income levels stay and raise their children here.
THEORY OF CHANGE
Potrero families are less likely to flee San Francisco if they have attractive and affordable education options, a strong connection to a community of friends and neighbors, and their interests are met by local government.
OUR WORK
We operate a local preschool and support neighborhood elementary schools. We bring families together with their neighbors for community events and programs. We advocate on behalf of families with SFUSD and other city agencies.
IMPACT
We are helping increase:
-Demand for neighborhood schools.
-The number of local families that stay through the middle and high school years.
-The number of local families reporting they feel part of a larger community.
Our Board
Current
Nathan has lived in Potrero since 2010, and works as a software engineer. He has two kids who both attended Potrero Kids where he served as co-president of the Parent Advisory Committee. He enjoys bicycling, ultimate frisbee, and gardening, and is the coordinator for the Arkansas Friendship Community Garden.
Lisa Mandle is an environmental scientist who works to shine a light on the economic and societal values of nature. She has lived in Potrero Hill since 2015. As a parent of two, she and her family have benefited greatly from PREFund’s work in the community. Lisa looks forward to extending the support she has received to other families.
Stephany calls Bernal Heights home. She works as a dentist who limits her practice to children. She and her husband have two sons, one of which is currently at PK.
Sneha is passionate about solving educational inequality. She is CEO and co-founder of Dost Education, an edtech non-profit that amplifies parent engagement in early childhood development. She lives in the Dogpatch with her family where you can usually find them at a farmers' market or playground on the weekends.
Sam Sadle is a public policy and government relations professional who helps companies and not-for-profits achieve policy objectives. He's also the spouse of a teacher and the father of a daughter who attends Potrero Kids. Sam lives in the Potrero Flats and you'll often see him out and about the neighborhood on two feet or two wheels.
Lorena Zegarra is an award winning educator and administrator in San Francisco, with a focus on STEM, Bilingual and Anti-Bias curriculum. Originally from Peru, she attended San Francisco public schools and SFSU. She began her career as a founding teacher at Potrero Kids Preschool.
Jessica is a digital marketing and event design consultant that works with mission-driven brands, entrepreneurs and organizations. She has lived in Potrero since 2013. Having been a beneficiary of PREFund's work as a new parent, Jessica is happy to give back to the organization and further its mission.
Melanie has lived Potrero Hill since 2016 and works as a Pediatrician. Her two girls attend Potrero Kids. As a room parent, she coordinated a monthly Play Club on early pick up days to give parents time back and kids more time for free play. As a doctor she is passionate about raising resilient kids with the goal of reducing the risk of childhood anxiety and depression.
Roselle, a Potrero Hill resident, is the owner and principal designer of a boutique interior design studio. She is dedicated to nurturing connections within her local community and possesses a profound enthusiasm for the realms of art, design and culture. She currently has a daughter enrolled at Potrero Kids.
Sara O'Neill's nearly and newly adult children attended Potrero Kids from opening day until they crossed the yard to attend Daniel Webster Elementary School. She is a Potrero Hill resident and award-winning early childhood educator dedicated to fostering inclusion and empowering parents.
Emeritus
PREFund owes its founders and subsequent dedicated community members a debt of gratitude
for their service and the impact they’ve had on the Potrero Hill community
Dena Fischer
(Emeritus in Memoriam)
2006-2012
Katherine Doumani
2006-2014
Melissa Millsaps
2006-2014
Laura Mitic
2006 - 2014
Jennifer Betti
2006-2015
Debra Grassgreen
2006-2015
Stacey Randecker Bartlett
2006-2017
Daphne Magnawa
2011-2015
Stacey Delo
2012-2018
Galateia Kazakia
2012-2018
Sarah King
2012-2019
Julie Harris-Wai
2016-2021
PREFund got its start in 2005 when three of five Potrero public schools were slated for closure or merger. A group of parents and neighbors rallied and created an intense, six-week grassroots campaign to overturn the closure recommendations from the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) and its Board of Education (BOE). Over 600 signatures were gathered in support of keeping Daniel Webster Elementary School (DW) open and the BOE was presented with a multi-part plan to increase the school’s enrollment.
In May 2006, eight of the parents and neighbors in that initial group created PREFund, an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit with the mission of supporting education and building community in Potrero. The first initiative was to honor the pledge to the BOE to raise enrollment at Daniel Webster.
Part of that plan was to create a preschool on the DW campus with the belief that a welcoming, high-quality, neighborhood preschool would help funnel more local families to the adjacent elementary school. Potrero Kids at Daniel Webster (PKDW) opened in September of 2008 and offered a Spanish bilingual pre-kindergarten program to its initial class of 32 children.
With more applicants than seats available, PREFund seized an opportunity to expand and opened a second campus, named Potrero Kids Third (PK3), in October, 2012 in Dogpatch. Across both campuses, Potrero Kids now serves roughly 100 children, ages 2 and up, with roughly 40% receiving some sort of tuition assistance.
The plan worked. Daniel Webster is now thriving, as is Potrero Kids. Both are sources of neighborhood pride and cornerstones of the community.
In the years that followed PREFund expanded its work beyond the DW and PKDW communities to include education, advocacy, and community-building initiatives that impact all families in Potrero and surrounding neighborhoods. The organization invested in local community organizations and education programs via grants and launched programming for youth, adults and families. Some of the most impactful initiatives include a bi-annual speaker series, recurring support groups for new parents, and seasonal community events, which bring together local school groups, families and small businesses to play, learn and connect.
PREFund believes that families are the central building blocks of communities. By providing a touchpoint for families of all stages, bringing them together around a shared vision they strive to encourage engagement, leadership, participation and ultimately -continuity and longevity - in the Potrero Hill community.
2006
Formalized as 501(c)3
2016
Form Middle School and School Integration Coalition
2017
Outreach and enrichment programs gain traction and grow audience
2019
Daniel Webster and Starr King alumni begin attending feeder SFUSD Middle Schools
Press
This 2015 Potrero View article reviews the continued success and evolution of Daniel Webster and touches on the addition of new board members.
This 2012 San Francisco Chronicle article focuses on positive changes at Daniel Webster and includes interviews with two PREFund founders as well as additional Daniel Webster parents.
This 2009 San Francisco Chronicle article details our successes and highlights the tremendous community support for Daniel Webster and our efforts.
This 2008 San Francisco Chronicle article describes our partnership with Rebuilding Together SF and multiple local corporations to upgrade Daniel Webster's campus.
This 2006 San Francisco Chronicle article describes our genesis and early efforts.
