Rooted in Izzi Community
On April 26 2025, Izzi partnered with Canopy, an organization committed to growing and sustaining equitable urban forests, and Build Up San Mateo County, which works to expand access to high-quality child care and create safe, healthy early learning environments. Together, we hosted a meaningful volunteer event, inviting Izzi families and members of the surrounding community to help plant trees at our Izzi at Magnolia and East Palo Alto sites. It was a wonderful day of connection, community, and environmental stewardship.
We spoke with our Facilities Manager, Joy Duenas, about how the volunteering event was organized and came together.
The first steps in organizing the volunteer event were Canopy coming to visit our sites and talking about tree selection, and deciding what they wanted to prioritize. According to Joy, “since there are already fruit trees on site, they decided to prefer shade trees.” These trees will come in handy on the days when it gets super hot.
Staff and volunteers at Izzi at Magnolia
The event brought together volunteers of all ages, creating a true sense of community as everyone worked side by side. Canopy team members led small groups, offering hands-on guidance through each step of the tree-planting process—from digging and loosening roots to staking and watering. It was more than just planting trees; it was about learning together and contributing to a shared space. Canopy also took time to show staff how to care for the trees long-term, helping to ensure the project’s lasting impact.
Araceli Ramirez, one our long time staff members of over 20 years and current teacher at Izzi at Magnolia, brought her family to join this community event for a particularly unique memory.
Araceli Castaneda, teacher Araceli’s daughter, was a student here at Izzi Early Education (formerly IHSD Inc.) had a full circle moment while volunteering.
“My mom and I went back to my old Head Start preschool, Izzi Early Education, to plant roots where ours began.”
Araceli Ramirez and her daughter Araceli Castaneda (Source: Linkedin)
“Head Start is a program that invests in both children and their parents, creating a multi-generational impact.”
“For our family, that meant opening doors that would shape both of our lives. She [teacher Araceli] has now dedicated over 20 years to the program as an early childhood educator. As someone who benefited from programs like Head Start, I know firsthand how vital early childhood education is—especially in underserved communities.”
“With so much uncertainty around its future funding, I hope we continue to invest in early education and the communities it uplifts. Izzi continues to plant seeds of opportunity for families like mine.”
Irma Lopez-Hernandez, our site supervisor at Izzi at Magnolia, shares what it means to her to see the community come together in support of Izzi.
“It was amazing to see all the families come together to plant a tree that represents our love and pride for our community and our school, Izzi at Magnolia. We’re proud to be part of a school that values sustainability and hands-on learning. Planting a tree felt like planting hope for the future, and we’re excited to see it grow in the years to come.”
“It was a truly meaningful experience—not only did it allow us to contribute positively to the environment, but it also helped us feel more connected to our school community.”
Teacher Irma and Volunteers
“The children had an amazing time as well—they learned how trees are planted and what they need to grow. It was a fun and educational experience that they’ll remember for a long time. We truly appreciate being part of such a caring and environmentally conscious school community.”
These kinds of stories and volunteer work bring the community together and create memories of a lifetime. We thank Canopy and all our volunteers for their amazing work, and we look forward to our future volunteer events.
Visit our volunteer page to learn more! https://www.izziearlyed.org/volunteer-page
