Care to Learn is a nonprofit organization that provides resources to students who need them. They work with 45 school districts in Missouri all throughout the year.
Care to Learn helps students who are above and below the Missouri poverty line. According to the Care to Learn website, “When basic needs go unmet, students can’t focus on learning. That’s why Care to Learn focuses our efforts in those three areas.”
Care to Learn starts with a school staff member identifying someone that’s needs are not getting met at home. After they are identified, the local Care to Learn chapter for the school district moves as fast as they can to meet those needs.
Care to Learn started with the founder Doug Pitt. According to the website, in 2007 he was shocked to see how many children were experiencing poverty in his hometown, Springfield Missouri. He contacted the community leaders to share the stories of many children. Funds were raised and needs were met. With this strong start he founded Care to Learn in 2008.
Care to Learn works with the school district’s liaisons. These are people who directly connect with Care to Learn to notice and care for these children. There is one for each Fair Grove school. The elementary school counselor Angla Hollingsworth, middle school assistant principal Samantha Orr, and high school math teacher Susanne Feldman are all liaisons for their respective schools. Hollingsworth stated, “I work closely with teachers, our school nurses, and other school staff to identify when a student is struggling. – Once a need is recognized, I help assess the situation and coordinate a fast, confidential response through our Care to Learn Chapter.”
Care to Learn helps students by providing basic essentials that families may struggle to afford. This helps children come to school ready to learn instead of having to worry about other things outside of their school work. Orr commented, “It helps me be able to provide resources to students in need of help which then leads to positive changes in their relationships with peers and academics.”
Some things Care to Learn has done this year are providing beds and bedding to families, emergency meals or backpacks full of food, hygiene items and clothing, and doctor/ dental appointments as well as prescriptions and other health related things.
Some future goals for Fair Groves chapter at Care to Learn are increasing awareness about students in need, renovating a few rooms in the school to create clothing closets and food pantries, fix the locker room showers, and to strengthen their partnerships with the community.
