Megan Navarro
WIMBERLEY — The minimum annual salary schedule for teachers ranges from $33,000 to more than $55,000, depending on experience level, according to the Texas Education Agency. Knowing the financial constraints that many still face, Sara Hudnall is developing an emergency loan fund for educators during times of crisis.
The broad strokes of The Celia Fund initially came in 2022, in honor of the life of Hudnall’s aunt, who, preceding her death, was known as a public educator for at least 30 years, avid gardener, relentlessly curious person and lifelong learner with a spirit to teach those around her.
“I really wanted to just honor her and her life, and her work and her spirit. The other reason is that the name itself, Celia, means ‘of heaven,’” Hudnall shared. “It just seemed like the perfect fit for the fund.”
The profession runs in Hudnall’s blood, as several other members of her family — including herself for 15 years — have worked in education. After a year of trying to juggle her own business and career, but then being faced with financial needs as a parent — even through multiple salary increases over the years — she left the profession in 2019.
While teachers could be making $65,000 per year, for example, and having the summers off, there are deductions that still come out of their paycheck, including the cost of health insurance — with increases if their children or spouses are on their plan — federal taxes and retirement, Hudnall emphasized. These impact the take-home pay for public educators.
Hudnall found that while there are online fundraisers for classroom supplies, or websites like Teachers Pay Teachers, where they can purchase lesson plans or suggestions for a small cost, there are limited options for just financial assistance.
“As much as they're appreciated, they don't really need another Starbucks gift card. They don't. Again, as much as it's appreciated, they don't need a massage. No, they need help, real financial assistance,” she said. “That was really where the beginnings of the idea came from and then, as I started to search [for] any kind of financial assistance that was targeted towards public educators; as far as I can tell, there is nothing out there. So, I thought, ‘Well, there's nothing out there, so what can I do to fill this gap? And so, it just kind of grew from there.’”
The founder is currently in the process of raising $75,000 for The Celia Fund to support the secure lending platform, organizational systems, launch preparation and first rounds of low-interest emergency loans.
Though grants are “certainly” a second goal for special causes, Hudnall said that she decided to focus on loans, due to the potential for growth and being able to help more people.
“The number of people that we could assist would simply be limited by the amount of money that we could fundraise, whereas, by creating a revolving loan fund, we raise the initial funds for that first round of loans,” she said.
The loans would need to be paid back; however, the goal is to have the interest rates remain well under 10%. Hudnall explained that this gives the teachers the option of not being forced to use an emergency credit card, where they are having to pay 20% or more interest.
Currently, the planned eligibility for the loans is for qualifying public educators and is expected to include currently-employed classroom teachers, counselors, librarians and other certified public-school educators who meet the program’s income and emergency criteria.
Hudnall said they are still in the process of determining eligibility specifics and qualifying emergencies, in addition to fundraising and having conversations with educators to gauge how this assistance would have helped them, before opening applications.
She is piloting the fund in Wimberley ISD, but is looking to quickly expand to the San Marcos, Dripping Springs, Hays and Blanco school districts.
For more information on The Celia Fund and learn how to make a donation, visit www.theceliafund.net.
