15 Jun Removing Barriers Update
A letter from Removing Barriers Coordinator- Heather Erickson
Basic Needs Aid –
As the current school year comes to an end, our Basic Needs Aid program will halt for the summer months. We will resume the program when school starts in the fall. Left with the worries about families not having enough food over the summer months, we will continue to gather and share local resources with you as the information becomes available. In the meantime, we can’t thank you enough for staying connected with your families, and for allowing us to serve and support them through this program. Nearly $130,000 in grocery gift cards mailed out in less than 90 days – #WEARENORTHSHORE
Backpacks For Kids –
The Foundation has spent the last 60-plus days distributing nearly 200 school supply kits to those students in need. We have found this to be a very successful platform to help our students continue to learn and complete their schoolwork while under the stay at home order. So, after much deliberation over the uncertainties of the upcoming school year and the recognition of the school district’s role in providing school supplies for the classroom setting, the Foundation has decided to pivot its Backpacks for Kids program from providing backpacks filled with school supplies to providing in-home school supply kits. The kits will be very similar to what the student received in past years, but they will not be distributed in a backpack and the intention is that they will be for in-home use only.
Requests for Backpacks can be made here: https://bit.ly/NSDSchoolsupplies
Book Drive & Distribution –
With the continuation of libraries being closed, the Foundation and its large consortium of volunteers have agreed to keep its book distribution program going through the summer months. Books for all ages are available and families can directly request them for delivery to their home. Additionally, the volunteers will continue to collect books for the next several months. Details of this program and access to the link to request books can be found here. https://www.northshoreschoolsfoundation.org/book-drive/
Heather Erickson
Northshore Schools Foundation Removing Barriers Coordinator
Heather@nsdfoundation.org
