When school returns to session in August, the Sulphur Springs Union School District and its superintendent plan to unveil the district’s newest project to help students.
“About four years ago, when I came to the district, I started a wellness collaborative with community agencies that focus on supporting students and families who might need additional resources that the district can’t provide,” said Superintendent Katherine Kawaguchi.
Kawaguchi hoped the 80 agencies who were part of the collaborative would provide basic services that are vital to a student’s success, such as additional counseling services, food and clothing.
Not long after the formation of the collaborative, the group begin to notice the district’s large percentage of students who qualify for extra support through the state, “meaning they have more need,” Kawaguchi said.
“So this year in fall, the district will have a social worker,” she added, “as well as, a resource center that will be (completely) supplied with donated items.”
The school is currently in the process of hiring its social worker, Kawaguchi said, and Sanctuary Church is currently soliciting donations for new and gently used items that will go towards helping the young students of the community.
“They took it upon themselves to reach out to their community,” Kawaguchi said, “and I think it’s really great.”
The goal for the resource center is to house all of the supplies needed to fight the poverty happening in the city and fill every available cabinet in the resource center with food, clothes and shoes, April Rego said in a video posted to the church’s Facebook.
“You name it, we need it,” she added. “We can’t do it without you.”
Donations can be dropped off Sundays in services or during the week at the church’s office from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. Those with the intention to donate money can give finances at the website. (thesanctuarychurch.com/missions)
Rego said, “Let’s help make their return to school on Aug. 16 amazing.”
