Celebrating One believes in not leaving a single grad behind due to economic disadvantages.
The central Ohio nonprofit is on a mission to purchase caps and gowns for graduating seniors at local high schools in order to defray graduation costs for families that need extra help. For the past six years, the organization has supported between five and 20 students each school year.
This year, it has ramped up its goal. Celebrating One now seeks to sponsor graduation caps and gowns for 150 grads across the region in 2026.
So far for the 2025-2026 year, Celebrating One is working with several districts, including Columbus City Schools, Reynoldsburg City Schools and Canal Winchester Local Schools, said Jurgita Fumo, the nonprofit’s founder and executive director. As of mid-September, Fumo was in the process of growing the list of districts by reaching out to Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools.
2024 graduate NeVaeh Johnson poses in the graduation gown provided by Celebrating One.
The No Grad Left Behind campaign runs through Dec. 31, and its fundraising goal is $20,000.
Donors can give to the campaign at givebutter.con/Cap-Gown-Drive2025. All proceeds go directly to the cap and gown purchases.
Starting from ‘ground zero’
As of Sept. 25, the campaign had not yet received any donations.
“We’re starting from ground zero, literally. We are very, very small nonprofit,” said Fumo, who explained she originally hoped the campaign would spread by word-of-mouth.
Celebrating One is on a mission to provide 150 caps and gowns to central Ohio high school seniors graduating in 2026. Some students supported by the 2025 drive are pictured alongside the group’s founder and executive director, Jurgita Fumo.
Celebrating One marked its nine-year anniversary Oct. 1. The volunteer-run organization works with families to provide resources, guidance and financial and emotional support. Fumo founded the organization to provide the assistance to others that she herself once needed.
“There is a lot of great support in Columbus. Everybody has different resources,” Fumo said. “When I was needing help, what I was looking for was actually that human connection.”
Sophia Veneziano is a Columbus Dispatch reporter supported by the Center for HumanKindness at The Columbus Foundation. She may be reached at sveneziano@dispatch.com. The Dispatch retains full editorial independence for all content.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: ‘No Grad Left Behind’ drive to raise $20K for central Ohio seniors
