This summer the Family Community Resource Center (FCRC) was open 3 days a week. During that time and up until the middle of September, FCRC contacted and supported 64 McKinney-Vento students and their families. The center also supported 15 low-income families with various resource needs such as medical bill forgiveness, SSI paperwork, car repairs, and resumes and cover letters. Also, 57 referrals were given to families for support from outside agencies.
Basic Needs Given Directly to Families and Students:
Food Assistance
(non-backpack program)
10
Clothing Assistance
16
Shoes
11
Toiletries/hygiene
8
Early intervention (diapers, wipes, formula)
0
Telephone / Communication
School Supplies/Backpacks - per individual
724 Total
(636 Back to School Bash)
88 were given out at the first of the school year
Other – blankets, pillows, furniture
5
Total
774
Department of Commerce Grant
With the award of the Homeless Student Stability grant for $55,000 - Love Overwhelming and Woodland Schools has started collaborations and partnerships in developing the program through the guidelines provided by Department of Commerce. The housing navigator, Jill Boaglio will begin on Sept 25, 2017, and will be located at the Family Community Resource Center. This program will provide significant support for families that are experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of losing their housing through prevention and diversion methods of coordinated entry. We also will have flex funding to help support households in obtaining stable housing.
Lunch Buddies Program
New mentor training is September 26th. The program begins Oct. 3rd. The recruitment process will continue thought out the year.
New Partnerships
LifePort, Inc. grant has been approved for 5,000 once we submit the written document by Friday, Sept. 22nd. This grant will increase digital literacy to parents and students at home. Families will have access to computers and low-cost internet. Part of this programming is to teaching parents about internet safety and each family that participates will receive a how to guide on parental controls, privacy settings, and security for their students. The next significant partnership is with Northwest Children’s Outreach. This organization will provide clothing, shoes, hygiene for our students. Their clothing bags contain 4 pairs of shoes, 4 pants, 4 shirts, pajamas, coats, socks, underwear. We can also receive early intervention items such as diapers and wipes. The Woodland Grange also will be having a rummage sale Oct. 27th and 28th, where part of the proceeds will go to parent education at FCRC. The FCRC would appreciate the support of community and school to build funding for our Parent Education initiatives.
Parent Education
This summer FCRC collaborated with Children’s Home Society for the development of parent education classes for our K-5th grade parents. We have narrowed down the content and Leslie Mohlman will be trained by Children’s Home Society facilitators. Two sessions will be offered beginning in February 2018. The parenting classes will run for six weeks, offer childcare and dinner. Another project for the FCRC is basic computer classes for parents. These classes are scheduled to begin mid-October and will cover topics such as file management, downloading/uploading, internet safety, Google apps, Microsoft Word.