Organization offering support to parents, students at home

COLUMBUS (WCMH) — One organization is making sure parents and students have the support they need while learning online at home.

Communities in Schools has 33 full-time coordinators in 27 schools across five school districts in central Ohio.

Their goal is making sure families have the resources they need to help kids learn with little distractions during this pandemic.

One parent, Squita Green, said that she caught COVID-19 in March. She said Communities in Schools helped her family in a big way.

“I ended up catching, and through the time that I actually caught the coronavirus, Ms. Rouse called me and made sure that my daughter was OK at the same time,” Green said.

For nearly three weeks, Green felt sick, but knew she’d still have to focus on her three kids, their school work, and her health.

“You kind of have to muster up energy you know to help them because learning doesn’t stop when you’re sick,” said Green.

Their ages are 5, 9, and 13, and oldest daughter goes to Mifflin Middle School.

Green said her oldest daughter received some help from the organization Communities in Schools.

Its focus on non-academic barriers to a child’s academic success such as attendance and homework issues related to outside circumstances.

Green says they made life a little easier while she was sick.

“She calls and checks on us to make sure if we need anything, you know, she’ll throw out resources, you know, that are there to help,” said Green. “It kind of actually helped me a lot.”

The help didn’t stop there.

This organization provides resources like transportation, school uniforms, social and emotional supports to address trauma, and food.

Coordinator Fredrick Parker said he has personally dropped off boxed lunches to families’ doorstep during this pandemic.

“The family with 11 kids, I took a whole box,” said Parker. “I just knocked on the door and nodded. They opened the door and the kids were very happy. We’re just making sure that it’s not just the academics but it’s also the family piece as well.”

A piece Green says her family appreciates the most.

“Honestly she’s like God-sent because you know without her most parents we’d be stuck,” said Green.

Communities in Schools added three high school graduation coaches this year to focus on seniors most at risk of not graduating.

The organization is looking to get critical supplies to help their families moving through this pandemic and even after. To see how you can help, click here.

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