The growing needs of families directly affects our students. The role of Family-Community Resource Centers, now at 16 district schools, has always been to remove barriers to learning so all students can be successful. But now FCRCs are more dynamic, adapting to the ever-changing role of family engagement, from addressing community crises to going mobile.

Sarah J. Anderson Elementary School FCRC coordinator Morgan Green had only been on the job for a few short weeks when she had to respond to a housing crisis at Ghim Village, located in the Sarah J. Anderson boundary. Green and many community partners provided help and support for more than 50 families who received 20-day, no-cause vacate notices to leave their apartments.

“The school became the hub, it became the fulcrum point for communication and the entry point for access to resources,” said Green. “Families who didn’t have Sarah J. Anderson students, or any children at all, were able to come to Anderson and that was their entry point for finding resources for relocation.”

With the help of the community partners, 42 families were served; 29 of those families have been permanately re-housed, and $42,865 was contributed to families to help families with rent, deposits and other moving costs.

Nicole Loran-Graham has taken FCRC services on the road to expand services and support to schools, students and families in schools without FCRC centers. Currently, Loran-Graham is meeting the basic needs of students at Lieser Campus and Fir Grove/Vista, where she has established a food pantry, clothing bank and on-site point of contact.

Loran-Graham is building capacity at additional non-FCRC schools by distributing supplies and resources, expanding fresh food pantries, and attending events at schools to meet students and families.

“We do that all in an effort to expand and build our capacity,” said Loran-Graham.

Follow the FCRC work @VPS_FCRC, #Heretohelp.