How can parents help high risk classmates at child’s school?

[Anonymous]

Touring some schools for PK3 I am seeing some children with very dirty or worn clothing/shoes, etc. What as parents can we do to help our children’s classmates who might not have clothing or other items that they need at home? Does a school’s PTA ever work with the school to determine who may be in need of a winter coat or shoes and fund raise to buy these things for students? Or provide uniforms or a backpack at no cost to certain students? Also, ensuring anyone who needs supplies at home has them?

If anyone’s PTA or parents at your school does anything to help at-risk or needy children at your school, please leave ideas! I would love to help wherever we end up.

[Anonymous]

At our school the school social workers helps with this. I know they made a request to the PTA for money for uniforms that the social worker gave to students they knew needed assistance. As far as supplies, I have always asked the teacher specifically what they need.

[Anonymous]

Most PTAs do, OP. There are multiple emails for clothes donations and our counselor puts non-perishable food in the backpacks of children she believes may go hungry during long weekends or vacations. This is paid for by our PTA, but is not advertised. The school uses the FARMS list and goes from there, I assume the counselor asks those kids about their home life.

[Anonymous]

I know several schools that run uniform closets, provide donated coats, and/or provide gift cards to homeless families.

[Anonymous]

The PTA at Whittier works with the school social worker to gather outgrown uniforms for a clothing bank. The school received a washer and dryer from a community organization as well. We also get lots of backpacks, school supplies, holiday meal kits, and haircut days donated from community partners. For coats, our kids have gotten some through Councilmember Todd's winter coat drive, and we have put scarves, gloves, and hats on our Amazon wishlist.

One of our teachers worked with DC Food Project to create a share table (https://dcfoodproject.org/our-programs-1), where leftover food from lunch is available for anyone to take. The PTA bought a mini fridge to store the milk.

[Anonymous]

Please be careful about sticking your nose where it doesn't belong. My DD HATED the process of getting new shoes.so I just let her wear raggedy ones until they'd fallen apart enough that she admitted she needed new ones. I chose not to have that battle.

And personally, I grew up in an upper middle class environment, but was forced to wear a LOT of my older brother's hand-me-downs. They probably looked "worn." And they were, but it didn't mean they didn't cover my body.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If anyone’s PTA or parents at your school does anything to help at-risk or needy children at your school, please leave ideas! I would love to help wherever we end up.

At our school (low FARMs) it is done in very close coordination with school administration. This ensures the privacy of the receiving families. When the PTA conducts food, clothing, used book or holiday gift drives, items are sent to the sister school, local charities or receiving families. PTAs need volunteers to publicize the drives and to collect, store and distribute the items.

[Anonymous]

Remember - sometimes 3 year olds just like wearing their favorite shirt. EVERY DAY. Even if it is dirty, doesn't fit etc. I am not saying there is not a need - but it is easy to judge and make assumptions.
Some approaches - I used to purchase extra gloves at the beginning of the season and give them to the teacher for anyone that might need them. I am sure you can figure out how to engage with the school and fill needs once you are there.

I still remember a grandmother who gave me her umbrella when I had an infant and toddler and will always try and pay it forward with the same generosity that she did.

[Anonymous]

Yes, PTAs usually do that. You can also discreetly let yout teacher know you would be happy to handle any needs for uniforms, coats, birthday cakes, etc. Or just do a double share of whatever contribution is asked of you.

It is also helpful if you step up to chaperone field trips. Some parents (me included) have a hard time missing work, so if you can, please do.

[Anonymous]

OP here, this is great to hear. And to the PP whose kids prefer older shoes- I completely agree and was not trying to make assumptions about any single child. My child is the same way! It just is eye opening that there’s a good chance that my child could be best friends with a kid who doesn’t have a warm coat or enough to eat during long weekends, which made me want to help be involved in these types of efforts. Another example was at a school we toured they said they have dental services on site for children and encourage everyone to use them. I think that is wonderful.

I agree that identifying needy students and distributing items should be handled by social workers or other trained professionals at the school, but strongly think that parents with who have the means to do so should pitch in and help contribute to ensuring that the children in the community have what they need.

[Anonymous]

Please donate new stuff. Kids do not really want to wear the hand-me-down coats etc that their classmates have worn.

This is a good argument for uniforms, so long as there is a way for lower income families to get them.

[Anonymous]

OP, the most important thing for you to know is that you must work through your PTA, who must work with the social worker on this. The dignity of your fellow school families and their children demand this.

[Anonymous]

This is such a great question, and I love that, according to the replies here, at least some PTAs are good about helping students. I wish that were the same across the board! I've reached out to our IB school's PTO (Bunker Hill) multiple times as a community member, not a school parent (our kids are too young for school still), to see if we can help satisfy any needs that students or the school might have (e.g., clothes, books, art supplies, etc.) and they have not once taken us up on our offer to help. It's unreal, because we know--through a teacher and other parents in the neighborhood whose children attend the school--that there are kids at the school who are in need of things like winter clothes and the like. It's noteworthy to us, as we're looking for a school community for our kids that welcomes support, has an active and engaged parent community, and is committed to helping students in need within the school community. Hopefully OP will get a better response from his/her local school's PTA/PTO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is such a great question, and I love that, according to the replies here, at least some PTAs are good about helping students. I wish that were the same across the board! I've reached out to our IB school's PTO (Bunker Hill) multiple times as a community member, not a school parent (our kids are too young for school still), to see if we can help satisfy any needs that students or the school might have (e.g., clothes, books, art supplies, etc.) and they have not once taken us up on our offer to help. It's unreal, because we know--through a teacher and other parents in the neighborhood whose children attend the school--that there are kids at the school who are in need of things like winter clothes and the like. It's noteworthy to us, as we're looking for a school community for our kids that welcomes support, has an active and engaged parent community, and is committed to helping students in need within the school community. Hopefully OP will get a better response from his/her local school's PTA/PTO.

Sometimes PTAs are just overwhelmed. If you want to help, I would just buy a couple of coats (in upper elementary sizes) and bring them in with a note that says to give to the social worker/guidance counselor.

Also set up an alert on Donors Choose so you will know when a teacher posts: https://www.donorschoose.org/school/brookland-education-center/6550?activeProjects=true

[Anonymous]

If you bless your classroom aide with some Clorox wipes and a jumbo pack of undies, she will not forget it.