Sonoma County

Magnolia Project launched in 2022 in partnership with two rural school districts: one in Guerneville (population 4,550) and the other in Geyserville (population 800), in Sonoma County, California, located about 90 minutes north of the Golden Gate bridge.

Learning alongside an artist · Magnolia programs

Despite being physically proximate to the San Francisco Bay Area, Sonoma County’s economy is structured very differently: relying more heavily on small, local businesses, agriculture and tourism rather than on large corporations and concentrated industries (like technology or finance) found in major metropolitan areas. Approximately 87% of Sonoma County’s employers have fewer than 20 employees. (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 County Business Patterns)

50% of Sonoma County’s public school students are classified as socioeconomically disadvantaged; within Magnolia Project’s school-based programs in Sonoma County, 70% of participating students come from low-income households and qualify for free or reduced-price meals (California Department of Education, 2025–26 Student Poverty Data)

In Sonoma County, Magnolia Project serves young people, their public schools and their communities in unincorporated West Sonoma County: Guerneville, Monte Rio, Cazadero, and Fort Ross, Geyserville, Santa Rosa, and the Sonoma Valley and its surrounding unincorporated communities.

“Ginnie and Peter Haas Jr. believe that all young people deserve opportunities to discover their potential and prepare for meaningful careers. Magnolia Project's gives students’ valuable hands-on experiences that help them explore career options. We are happy to join others in supporting their efforts to expand educational and economic opportunity in Sonoma County.”

Stephanie Martinez, Director of Programs, Peter E Haas Jr. Family Fund