Spotlight: RCEF received a call from a teacher asking for help to purchase a pair of shoes for a student in need. The student had one pair of shoes and those were visibly coming apart. The teacher was willing to buy the shoes herself if we could not help. Her willingness to use her own funds speaks volumes about the dedication of Rockingham County teachers to their students. Thanks to this fund, RCEF purchased new tennis shoes and a dozen pair of socks and had those shipped directly to the school. The teacher called us next week, nearly in tears. She had quietly pulled the student aside after school to give the shoes - and they fit perfectly. We are simply a conduit. Teachers like her - and people like you - are the real force for good driving our ability to help.
Welcome to the Student Opportunities for Academic Resilience (SOAR) Fund, where we provide vital support to help students overcome barriers to academic achievement by helping them meet basic needs and to fully participate in their school's activities. This fund is open to school faculty and staff: principals, teachers, teaching assistants, bus drivers, nurses, social workers, counselors, psychologists, and school resource officers.
Children are among the poorest people in the United States. Despite hard working (mostly) single parents and grandparents raising grandkids, more than 16% of all children in Rockingham County live below the poverty line and the number of children in foster care is twice the state average. These kids face signifiant challenges to academic achievements, and the Student SOAR Fund is here to help them.
The Fund provides direct financial support to students in need to help overcome social and academic barriers and build the relationships between schools and communities. This might a student who needs a suit to attend the funeral of a parent, or a student who goes hungry at night, or another student who needs a safe place to sleep - the list goes on.
With enduring gratitude to
