Our First Quarterly Update: Organization Launch & Gala

Written By Melissa Albanes

Welcome to Wildwood Enrichment Foundation’s first quarterly update! This summer, we celebrated our launch as a new 501(c)(3) nonprofit with the Minds in Motion Gala and began laying the groundwork for what comes next: connecting families with educational resources, co-ops, workshops, educators, and each other. We’re excited to share what your support makes possible. 

Minds in Motion Gala

On July 18, over 50 of us gathered for the Minds in Motion Gala, our very first event as a foundation. It was a beautiful evening featuring a plated dinner with wine pairings, live music, a silent auction filled with donations from local businesses, and a room full of people who care about the future of education in this community.

We heard from three organizations whose work reflects what our Foundation exists to support: Salty Kids Homeschool, 904 Kids Explore, and St. Augustine Co-op. Each one serves families differently (which is exactly the point).

Thank You to Our Sponsors

This evening was made possible by local businesses who stepped up alongside us.

We're so grateful for our village!

The Property Is Taking Shape!

We have access to a 3.5-acre property on Wildwood Drive, near Treaty Park, and, with your support, the property is being renovated into a dedicated space for the kind of personalized learning our St. Augustine youth need. It will be a place where co-ops and homeschool groups can meet, workshops can happen, parents can gather, and children can run and laugh in nature.

There's still meaningful work ahead that’s dependent on the county approving our “unlisted use” permit, including site improvements like the driveway and parking, drainage, and utility connections. The interior is mostly done aside from caulking, painting, and cleaning, so that’s encouraging! We'll share more as soon as we're able.

Your support is helping create a community hub for families choosing a personalized path for their children’s education.

Follow Along

We've started sharing on social media, with posts about personalized education, homeschooling, and the ideas behind what we're building. If you want to stay connected between newsletters, find us on Instagram and Facebook at @wildwoodenrichmentfoundation.

What's Ahead in Q4

Our focus for the rest of the year is getting the property ready to welcome families. That means finishing the interior, working through county approvals, and moving forward with site improvements as we're able. Our small team is putting its time and energy into this work, so we aren’t planning additional events or fundraisers this quarter.

If you'd like to support the Foundation as we make progress, your donation helps prepare the space where all of this will come together.

Donate to Wildwood Enrichment Foundation

Thank you for being part of this from the very beginning. This Foundation started because families in St. Augustine need more options, more support, and more community around education. You showed up for that, and we're so glad you're here!

Melissa Albanes