Two parents set out to take a bold step to revolutionize how families and educators could connect, collaborate, and coordinate. They leveraged the power of Web 2.0 principles to build a unique, social network that replaces the multitude of outdated tools, almost all of which served as one-way communication devices. Livingtree became the only platform built in the context of optimizing community, family and student engagement for the full range of K-12 school systems. It empowered education leaders to connect, share and engage their families at every level. Why was it named Livingtree? Well, there is a tree in Africa, called the Baobab Tree. It is referred to as the “tree of life,” providing shelter, food, and water for the animal and human inhabitants of the desert regions. Because of this, savannah communities formed and connected around these trees. The story of this tree struck them and led to the brand name, Livingtree. It became the mission of the company to improve student outcomes by helping classrooms, schools, and districts build and connect with their communities. That’s when, at the start of 2018, Livingtree discovered Edbacker. The district-wide online fundraising platform connected parents, local communities, corporations, and school districts to address America’s education funding gap while eliminating the surprises and liabilities associated with today’s crowdfunding sites. It was a perfect fit, and in January of 2018, Livingtree added the platform to its solution set. Today, Livingtree’s original platform is now known as Livingtree Engage, and Edbacker is known as Livingtree Give. The company is fulfilling its mission to help better serve and connect school communities, and continuing to grow every day. School districts across the country are turning to Livingtree to help improve family engagement as well as their online fundraising systems.