A $1.7 million fundraising deadline hits Monday, Sept. 21, for Hermosa Beach public schools. The Hermosa Beach Education Foundation (HBEF), the all-volunteer nonprofit that supports the Hermosa Beach City School District (HBCSD), is wrapping up its annual giving campaign.
According to the foundation's website, HBCSD relies on HBEF for more than 5% of its budget. The campaign funds STEAM labs, music and band, Spanish language classes for third through fifth graders, visual arts and media production for sixth through eighth graders, librarians at all three campuses and counseling and mental health resources.
HBEF is asking families to consider giving at least $1,000 per enrolled child. Donors who contribute at the Thrive level or higher by the Sept. 21 deadline earn an invitation to the HBEF Fall Thank You Party. Classrooms with the highest family participation rate also win prizes.
The campaign comes on the heels of the foundation's first-ever charity golf tournament. The Strand Classic teed off Wednesday, Sept. 16, at Los Verdes Golf Course in Rancho Palos Verdes. The three-person scramble was capped at 72 teams at $1,250 per team, with all proceeds going to Hermosa schools, according to the foundation. The Hermosa Beach City School District posted that the event would bring together 216 golfers. No fundraising totals have been released.
HBEF President Lauren Merriam Sprague has framed the foundation's work as essential to the community. In an October 2025 profile by OurSouthBay, when she served as vice president, Sprague said, "Our team is motivated by the belief that strong schools build strong communities."
Upcoming HBEF events
- Sept. 21 — Annual Giving Campaign deadline. Donate at hbef.org.
- Oct. 19 — Skechers Pier-to-Pier Friendship Walk, which raised more than $269,000 for Hermosa schools last year.
- Dec. 7 — 17th Annual Santa Photos at Gum Tree Hermosa, with photography by Lana Lee Photography. All proceeds benefit HBEF.
