Wanda's Wallet FAQ

What is Wanda’s Wallet?
Wanda’s Wallet is a community-based fund established by the friends and family of Wanda K. Calderon, the long-time registrar of Mercer Island High School, who died at age 58 in December 2007. It was started to receive memorials in Wanda’s honor.

Who does it help?
Even in a community as affluent as Mercer Island, there are still students whose families lack the resources to pay for basic expenses incurred in high school. Some of these families may have serious illnesses crimping their budgets; others may have just a single parent. But Wanda didn’t care why kids were in need, only that they are in need. Same with Wanda's Wallet.

What kinds of things do these kids need?
In 2008 alone, the list of needs has included: UW tuition for a "College in High School" course; an ASB card; fees for a state competition; and a Metro bus pass, among other needs. On the bottom of this page, you'll find a more comprehensive list of the kinds of needs students have had over time. It was compiled by the MIHS staff from their past experience. A word of caution: If you think a prom dress (from a consignment store) is not essential to the overall well being of a teenage girl, Wanda’s Wallet is probably not the right cause for you.

Why not just let the staff keep picking up the tab?
Young people are an important part of the Mercer Island community, and helping them harkens back to the days when communities looked after their own. Remember barn-raisings? Many of those who work at MIHS cannot afford to even live on Mercer Island; it is unfair to presume they should financially support Mercer Island children.

How does Wanda's Wallet work?
Typically, a student’s need is discovered during a discussion of some other issue: A counselor asks why a grade is so low. A student successful in an extracurricular activity demurs from a state competition. A teacher learns a high-achieving student can’t pursue a UW course that will earn her college credit. Or a student just needs an ASB card but can't pay. With a need identified by counselors and teachers, Wanda’s Wallet steps in to help. We send money directly to the high school or to an outside vendor -- MIHS, the UW, the SATs, a store, to name a few -- or to a school staff member who has already incurred an out-of-pocket expense for a student. Financial assistance does not go directly to the student, only to others on behalf of the student.

Who runs it?
Wanda's family and friends: Paul, Cacky and Christina Calderon; Sandy Barto; Cher Hisken; Kathy Edris; Bill and Becky Curry; Anabelle Sutcliffe; Marsha Woerner.

Is Wanda's Wallet a 501c3 charity? What's the connection with the Youth & Family Services Foundation?
We're grateful to the Foundation for allowing us to affiliate with them, which we wanted to do for two reasons: the Foundation (and Youth & Family Services itself) play a crucial role in providing social services to the Island’s young people, and the Foundation has 501c3 tax-exempt status. Youth & Family Services provides a counselor at the high school who works closely with students. We also thought that partnering with an existing organization with a similar mission -- helping young people -- made more sense than inventing a whole, new 501c3 for Wanda’s Wallet. We’ve agreed to give the Foundation transparency through periodic reports and financial controls. The tax identification number you’ll receive for any donation to Wanda’s Wallet will be the Foundation’s tax i.d. Net-net: You should continue your previous support of the Foundation; Wanda’s Wallet is an “in-addition-to” not an “instead-of” -- both have important work to do on behalf of our community’s young people, and both need your help. Thanks!

Typical Student Needs

• Textbooks/workbooks
• Class field trips
• Calculators
• Shoes, boots
• Haircuts
• Grooming supplies
• A.P. testing fees
• College application fees
• ASB activity card
• Yearbook
• Music uniforms, Instruments
• Football uniforms
• Basketball uniforms
• Athletic fees, shoes
• Cheer/drillteam uniforms and shoes
• Sports camps
• Tournaments
• Clothes
• Raingear
• Summer school